Reality
by Just Birthday
Summary: I will no longer be working on this story. A dead project... But feel free to read anyway. If you just want a short read, the first chapter is all you need to read at all.
1. The Dream

_**The Dream**_

* * *

><p>Alfred sat there; almost oblivious to everything that surrounded him. Yao's and Arthur's pointless arguing as Francis and Ivan chattered away about how stupid the other two were being. For once, though, Alfred wanted no partake in the squabble and ranting. He didn't even have a desire to speak. All because of that dream he had last night, which kept on tugging at his brain. Poking and prodding at it, not giving up until the nation cracked. It was the strangest dream, but it certainly made one think. Was it a dream? Or…<p>

_Alfred looked around, his mind having escaped elsewhere. In this blank, white void. Not a voice was heard. Not a single sound. Not even when he walked was their noise. And, by the feel of the ground, it seemed that Alfred was simply walking on air. But how did he know if he was moving that? The white was all the same, he felt like he was going no where, and the fact that it was soundless just reassured Alfred that that's exactly where he was going. No where._

A snap broke him out of his remembrance. "Alfred, honestly. This is supposed to be a meeting, not somewhere you can just go to daydream. Bloody Hell, pay attention! We're talking about a serious matter!"

Normally, Alfred would have a snappy comeback to whip out at the Englishman, but he only gave a weak smile and nodded. "Sorry, Arthur. You're right. I'm gonna go get a coffee quick first. Man, I need to wake up." With a stretch, Alfred dismissed himself momentarily from the room, leaving everyone in utter shock. It was defiantly strange for him to act this way. There was no doubt about that.

But Alfred paid no mind as he walked down the hallway, relieved to hear the soft clacking of his shoes against the cream tile. Relieved to see the dark brown walls and the light bursting from the window to shine the way to the break room. Even the normally annoying sound of that one annoying crow seemed to soothe him today.

_It was aimless. Pointless. Running through that white didn't seem to work. And yet, while It seemed that he couldn't move an inch forward, he could still trip and fall onto his face. Alfred, on his hands and knees, stared at the endless white from below. He tried to push his hand further down to see it he was any solid sort of ground, but when he tried his hand was stopped by some force. It wasn't hard; it just pushed him away, but not like air._

_There was only the sound, now, of his nervous, shivering breath. It was like someone just cranked the AC to negative thirty in the coldest day of winter. He managed to come to a stand, hugging himself tight for warmth. It was starting to get beyond to point of strange, and more to the point of fear inducing._

_This was beyond anything Alfred had faced in his life._

Alfred's eyebrows were knit in thought. Everything had had occurred in that strange dream certainly made him think. He watched blankly as the coffee machine poured him up a Styrofoam cup of black heat. Whether he was to add sugar, Alfred hadn't decided. He needed to wake up, so maybe he'd just keep it as is.

Going back to the meeting would be a big mistake. Alfred would just zone out once again. So, he pulled up a metal chair and sat. It was uncomfortable, but at least it existed.

"_You have arrived," someone said. Alfred nearly panicked, looking around for a person. A voice, finally, had been heard. One other then his whimpers._

"_Who are you?" Alfred asked. A typical question, one that was always asked. But one he needed to know._

"_My name is unneeded," the voice decided otherwise, leaving Alfred at bay. "But yours, Alfred F. Jones, is much more important." Things must be taking a turn for the worst. How did this voice know his name? Was this going to be like the endless marathons of horror films Alfred always watched? It's not really happening, right?_

"_What do you want?"_

"_To inform you," The voice was practically monotone, but far from boring. It was just as horrific as that blank white void Alfred stood in. "Of the world. As a 'country', you should know, shouldn't you?" The voice almost grew sarcastic._

"_What do you mean?" Alfred was perplexed. Still clutching to himself for warmth, Alfred started to walk in search of the voice's source. Maybe there was a blank white curtain somewhere, hiding away a deranged man that just wanted to screw with his mind._

"_You don't honestly believe that you're America, do you?" The voice chuckled cruelly. "You don't REALLY believe that you're more then the average man."_

_Alfred stopped in dead halt. "…Not America? Of course I am!" Alfred was almost angry now. How could he NOT be America? He'd only experienced wars, carried battle scars, gained his independence. Not America?_

_But the voice only laughed at him. "You slay me!" More crazed laughter followed, and Alfred felt almost foolish, embarrassed, even slightly disappointed in himself. His eyes looked to his feet, for there was no object in the void he could stare at but himself. The laughter soon stopped, and the voice grew serious. "Everything you believe, Alfred Jones, is a lie. Christianity, democracy, the republic, your liberty and freedom. It doesn't really exist._

"_In all truth, Alfred, you're currently in reality. That other world is the dream."_

Alfred gripped at his hair, staring down at the table, the empty Styrofoam cup rolling to the floor. Was he going crazy? Maybe he just needed a vacation away from everything. But nations really couldn't have a vacation. But was he really a country at all? Alfred took off his glasses and gripped the bridge of his nose. He really needed to just relax. THAT was the dream. Wasn't it? It really ate at him. That white void…

He jolted wildly as a hand gently touched his shoulder. Alfred looked back at the man who had disturbed him, relaxing at the familiar face.

"Are you alright, Alfred?" Arthur's eyebrows were bent in worry. "You've been in here for at least an hour."

Alfred didn't want to seem like a total idiot to Arthur. He nodded and stood up, Arthur now the one looking up at him.

"I'm alright now," Alfred said with a lying, reassuring smile. Arthur could obvious see the false smile, for he reached up in irritation and tugged at Alfred's cheek.

"My ass, Alfred," Arthur said with a hand on his hip. "Honestly, I know you much better than you think! If you think flashing your debonair smile is going to pursue my otherwise, then you've got another thing coming to you."

"Okay, okay!" Alfred felt his cheek as Arthur had let go to cross his arms. Alfred knew he meant well. He knew Arthur well enough, too, to know that face had the look of worry. "Well… You may want to sit down then. It'll be a while.

And so, they two sat in those uncomfortable chairs as Alfred let go of his pride and just let loose.

"_It can't be a lie!" Alfred shouted as he ran in the void._

"_You can't escape what you've always known," the voice called to him. The voice seemed to grow louder as he ran._

"_That's all it is! A lie! I've always known THAT!" Alfred kept his running. Away from what might be the truth. Something he never wanted to look into hard enough to see if it was fact or fiction._

"_Is that so?" The voice was starting to be more recognizable._

"_It is!" Alfred stared forward. But what he saw, another person, was not what he expected at all. He stopped, probably a yard away from this man, who had a debonair smirk on his lips._

"_If what you say is true, then what I say is true as well." The man stepped forward at least a step or two, Alfred backing up one._

_The man in front of him, though, only kept walking towards Alfred until they were only a step away from touching. Alfred looked in the blue eyes of this man, which shone with much mischief, but shielded with a set of glasses. Honey blonde hair framed the oval shape of his head, with a slightly square chin and cheek bones. He wore a brown jacket with warm, black lining. Alfred didn't need to turn him around to know that, on the back of that jacket, would be the white number fifty._

"_Because, Alfred Jones, I AM you."_

_Alfred didn't want to believe it. It was just a mirror. But a mirror couldn't grip the front of Alfred's shirt and pin him to the void wall which pushed him away. The doppelganger's face less then an inch from his own, was wicked._

"_You're pathetic, Alfred. Honestly you are. You know that this white void you've ran in, you've shivered in, the void you're pinned to, is where you belong. You're no America. You're not eve worthy to be a STATE. How can a human being be a country? It's not possible." Alfred tried to squirm out of grip, but this darker Alfred only pressed him to the void wall more, their lips practically touching as their eyes were locked. "Are you THAT fucking STUPID to ACTUALLY believe that the world you live in is real and not just some FANTASTY you wish existed? HAH!" The white in the room started to rot suddenly. Pure white became a foul green color, swirled with dark purple vines. Alfred was shoved to the ground, his opposite's foot pressed hard onto his chest. He cackled wickedly as he shoved his heel into Alfred._

"_You're no country, Alfred. You're just some pathetic looking man who cowers behind the couch every time Jeepers Creepers plays on the television!" The other Alfred seemed darker now, more pissed and serious then cruelly playful. Alfred didn't even fight back. As the purple vines of the void curled around him, he felt his energy draining. "Alfred, Alfred, Alfred. Damn, am I disappointed in you. Just a child playing a game of Risk, aren't we? Why don't you just let ME do all the talking like you are now?" With a smirk, the darker one leaned down to get into Alfred's face again. "When shit gets real, little phonies like you hide away and cry, wanting their mommy or daddy."_

"_Shut the Hell up," Alfred finally hissed, his fists gripped tight to the point of breaking his own skin._

"_That's right, grow a spine before you fade away." This Alfred cackled cruelly. "Just remember that your pretty little face ain't gonna help ya. Piss off. Go cry to your precious Arthur."_

"…And that's when this blackness just… Consumed me. And I woke up." Alfred looked up at Arthur, whose face was twisted with such a strange look. He couldn't believe anything he just heard. It was quite the dream.

"…Alfred, I can assure you. You're just dreaming." With a calm smile, Arthur stood up and hugged Alfred. "I promise you."

"..." Not so sure to believe it or not, Alfred just nodded and stood up, the two walking back to the meeting, promising to discuss it later.

And a cruel cackle filled the break room as the two walked off. That Alfred, arms crossed, a devilish smirk on his face, stared at the doorway.


	2. The Assistant

_**The Assistant**_

* * *

><p>It had been a few days since Alfred had had that dream. While things had been lightened up by Arthur's reassuring words, Alfred couldn't help to think that, maybe, there WAS some truth to it… Maybe it WAS just a dream and nothing more. But if there was, then this would turn everything for a knot. Tight, tricky, hard to pull apart. It'd take more than a single country to figure this out. That's what he had figured the day after. While Arthur already knew, Alfred had gone to someone else to try and figure it out. Someone older, and who knew more about such things.<p>

_"Another you?" Kiku blinked, appearing perplexed at what he had just been told. "Alfred-San, I must ask you, what do you eat before you go to bed? Did you watch some horror film again?"_

_ But Alfred shook his head. "That's the thing, man. If I had watched a horror film, I would have thought nothing of it. But this was deep. I do have desserts occasionally, but not recently. So that wouldn't be it either."_

_ "Hm…" Kiku closed his eyes in a deep thought. "Well, it shouldn't be left alone. Be aware of it, but don't do anything until something else happens. Reacting before knowing for sure it wasn't just a dream? That is never good."_

So, Alfred had taken his advice. So far, nothing had happened, though he was growing paranoid. He could have sworn he'd seen that dark version of himself roaming around his house. That devilish grin. He could never erase it from his memory. Alfred lay on his couch, staring at the twirling fan above him. That cool air in the void… He remembered that plainly as well. It had burst from nowhere. How was the white void so cold?

He turned to his side, staring at his television set. Blank. Black. Not a sound. With the click of a button, Alfred decided he wanted sound. Now, he always slept with the radio on. It became a comfort. Pure silence became fingernails on a chalk board to Alfred, so he didn't care that the sound of Snooki's annoying yap was in the background. It was better than silence.

Tony had even started to get worried about the American's strange(r) lack of eating fast foods every chance he got? That was probably the weirdest think Tony had ever witnessed. But Alfred had only eaten when his stomach said to. And it was never McDonald's, Burger King, not even Wendy's. It was scary to think that Alfred could be this way about ANYTHING.

A knock on the door had jolted Alfred to sit up. "W-Who is it?"

"I-It's me," a shy, small voice said. "Matthew. But the door is locked, Alfred."

…Oh! Alfred stood up and went to the door, letting his brother in, who he, on a normal basis, would forget about. Hence the locked door.

"Sorry," Alfred said, scratching the back of his head as Matthew walked in, apparently soaked from the rainstorm that Alfred was completely oblivious to. Though, now he looked outside in wonder of himself for being able to ignore such loud thunder claps and bright lightening that lit everything white.

White. Just like the void was when he entered.

Matthew somehow seemed to catch on to the strange behavior. "Are you alright? You've been weird all week."

"Um…" Alfred closed the door finally.

"Is this Jersey Shore?" Matthew stared at the orange people on the television. "Why are you watching this?"

"Oh… I, uh, didn't notice."

Matthew looked at his older brother curiously. "You… 'didn't notice' that the most annoying people were on your television set?"

"…No."

Matthew's face was worried. "Do you wanna talk at all? You seem out of sorts."

"I'm fine," Alfred insisted, turning the television to the news channel, where something caught his eye almost immediately. The headline.

"Huh. 'Japan Suffers From Earthquake and Tsunami'. Should we call?"

Without anyone having to say one more thing, Alfred was dialing Kiku's number in a heartbeat.

Ring… Ring… Ring…

"Moshi moshi."

"Kiku!" Alfred was almost relieved to hear his dear friend's voice. "I just heard. Are you alright?"

"Yes, Alfred-San, I'm fine right now." Kiku seemed nervous. "But you are not alone anymore."

"Alone? Kiku, this isn't about me."

"No, it is. Your dream. I had one like it after we talked. Then… This happened. HE caused it."

"He…?" Alfred knit his eyebrows.

"Not the one you spoke of… There is one like me to. A dark side. In that white void."

Alfred's eyes widened. "How is that possible?"

"I do not know… But we need to see if anyone else has had the same dream. Please. I will be fine."

"…okay." Alfred hung up the phone after saying their good-byes.

"…Alfred?" Matthew placed a hand on his brother's shoulder, who stared at the ground. "Is there something you need to tell me?"

"…It's best you don't get into it." So, with that, Alfred walked out that door into the pouring rain, leaving his younger brother to worry on the couch and watch the news.

* * *

><p>A dark grin smirked more as its owner watched Alfred walk out of his house, into the rain, and out of sight.<p>

"Foolish, aren't they?" The dark Alfred said, smirking wide. He looked over at his friend. "Some natural disaster. What a downfall they'll have."

"Crashing down, I would say," the companion said, a dark look in his eyes as his face remained stone cold. "They will certainly be at a disadvantage. But I must ask, why Japan?"

"One of the most powerful. They all have to be taken down. One by one. Leaving the weakest."

"I understand your logic." Standing up, the one who caused Kiku's misery looked out into the scene. "So, if I am correct. This means the next one we must strike is China. Yao Wong."

"Exactly." This Alfred stood with a cackle in his throat, slowly escaping until it filled the air. "By the time they get the guts to do anything, there'll be nothing LEFT to do! Those damn bastards locked us up inside long enough. They screwed up their own PRECIOUS little 'world', so why don't we screw with it MORE? Alfred Jones, you may THINK you're the hero, but you are ME. And I, Jones, am the villain. And this time, the villain will WIN! After all, Jones, that's what you want. To win. You always involve yourself so you can WIN. How VAIN." He laughed wickedly into the rain, eyes tainted red with insanity. As he laughed, the other Kiku looked at him blankly.

"Your intentions, Alfred-San, are cruel."

He stopped his laughter to look at the Japanese other. "Cruel, yes. But you're just as wicked as I am, and you know it. And you have no shame in it."

"Indeed you are correct," was the reply as the dark Kiku allowed himself to gently slide and float down onto the ground. "Now, we must get this plan going."

Alfred smirked. "First, I have a little brother to take care of."

* * *

><p>Matthew sighed, a cup of hot coffee in his hands, sweetened with the taste of maple syrup. He sat in the empty house, curled into the couch. What was wrong with Alfred? It wasn't like him to ever just storm out like that. There was obviously something wrong, and he wanted to know. Sipping his coffee, he heard the door shut and footsteps approach him.<p>

"You're back soon." Matthew said as he looked back at his older brother. Alfred smirked, soaking wet.

"Just needed to be refreshed," he said, hovering over his sibling. Matthew blinked up at him, a drop of water landing on his forehead for his brother's wet hair.

"Is it raining that hard? You weren't even out for long."

"Does it matter?" Alfred said, leaning in closer to his brother with a cruel chuckle. But Matthew could catch on quick.

"Who are you…? Get away from me!" Quickly moving forward, Matthew threw his coffee at the intruder, who didn't even flinch as the hot coffee hit his face, nor when the cup shattered and cut his cheek. Matthew grew panicked, backing up, preparing himself for a chase.

"…You little shit, you think you're AWEFULLY clever." Alfred smirked as he lunged for the Canadian, pinning him to the ground. "But big brother's here. But he ain't gonna make it any better."

"Let go!" Matthew said, trying to shove this stranger away. "You're not Alfred!"

"Oh, but I AM! Just close your eyes, Matthew. Let yourself escape into reality. This dream of yours is about to become your worst nightmare."

And that it most certainly did as Matthew's scream filled the house, followed by the crazed laughter of the dark man.


	3. The Fear

_**The Fear**_

* * *

><p>It was probably just three hours ago when Arthur had found Alfred just walking in the cold, damp rain. And it had been that long of either just Arthur talking and trying to get Alfred to say a word, or just pure silence.<p>

Arthur had just been out and about to shop for a few things, and dry due to an umbrella keeping shade over his head. His sweater kept him warm from the cold air. But as for Alfred, his usual number fifty jacket was soaked to the core, along with the rest of Alfred. The usual hair that stuck up and defied gravity even seemed to be slightly down in the weather. Alfred's glasses were filled with water droplets, which probably made it nearly impossible to see a thing. But he just kept walking aimlessly, and Arthur had continued to follow.

_What's with him?_ Arthur thought, his eyebrows knit in worry. He had only the smallest suspicion that it was because of the dream Alfred had a while ago, for he couldn't really think of any other reason Alfred would remain silent. Especially towards Arthur. Though, he must admit. It was a strange and curious thing for Alfred to not have anything to say.

Perhaps, he should just try to speak to him again.

"Alfred? Is something wrong?"

Unlike all the other times before when Arthur had tried to get him to speak, Alfred had stopped in his tracks. He didn't speak, but he had stopped. Which almost caused Arthur to bump into the American from the sudden stop, but he managed to keep from collusion. He looked up at the taller man, as if waiting for something to be said from him. Anything.

But Alfred just turned to face him and stared. Almost zombie-like. His eyes seemed weary. Then, suddenly, as if something just hit him hard, Alfred's eyes widened and he fell forward.

Arthur reacted as quickly as he could, dropping his umbrella and groceries, allowing the rain to soak him as he caught the now unconscious American. This wasn't what he expected at all, that was for sure.

"Alfred?" he tried uselessly, holding the limp Alfred as if he'd break. But, like the many times before, no action, no words. Arthur started to panic. And it was probably some sort of fate that when Arthur looked up from Alfred, there a familiar face stood.

"Matthew?" Arthur was almost releaved. "Thank goodness. Please, we need to get Alfred back home."

But Matthew, too, didn't say a word. He stood and stared in shock at his unconcious brother. Hesitantly, he walked towards Arthur and Alfred. "How is that possible?" He thought aloud.

"Pardon?" Arthur blinked as Matthew stood beside the two, some of his umbrella blocking the rain from them.

"..." Matthew folded up his umbrella and wrapped the string around his wrist, grabbing Arthur's as well and doing the same, taking the groceries inn his other hand. "Let's bring him home. And we need to talk."

* * *

><p>Hot tea filled Arthur's stomach as he took a sip from the cup Matthew had offered him to warm from the rain. Alfred now lay on his own bed in dry clothes and under warm blankets, something Arthur had done many times before in the past. Though, he supposed, it was much different now, remembering how awkward it when he reached the boxers.<p>

He himself was in warm clothes now. A pair of pajamas Matthew let him borrow, since they both decided Arthur should spend the night, so his worry wasn't fed so much. Matthew sat beside him, warm clothed as well, with maple syrup infected coffee, but neither of them could really bring themselves to have more then one sip. After much silence, Matthew finally looked at Arthur.

"How long were you with Alfred?" Arthur blinked, that being a rather curious question. How long?

"Three hours when you found me," Arthur replied, looking over at the Canadian. "Why?"

"...Something strange is going on," Matthew said, staring at his coffee cup as if it were a crystal ball he could see all the answers in. "Because when I found you, I'd been running FROM Alfred."

"That's impossible, Matthew," Arthur simply stating. "How could that be if he was with me?"

"But he was with me, too. For a few minutes less then three hours." Matthew shuddered, rubbing his arm. This was something Arthur never really took note of, but Matthew was fully covered. Socks, pants, a long sleeve turtle neck that covered his hands as well. He would have understood long sleeves, yes, but the fact that even his hands and neck were covered? Now that he thought about it, when they were carrying Alfred home, Matthew insisted that he take Alfred's feet. And he held Alfred almost with a look of disgust on his face, mixed with confusion. Matthew was right. Something was certainly up, but not just with Alfred.

"What happened?"

Matthew froze a bit as the words passed Arthur's lips and flowed into his ears and mind. What had happened? Much. With a sigh, Matthew managed to pull down the neck part oh the sweater. Arthur looked, and round areas of darkened skin were there with bite marks. Ones that seemed to have possibly drawn blood.

"...Ummmm." Arthur looked at Matthew. "Hickeys?"

"Not ones I wanted," Matthew clarified, unrolling the neck peice. "But there's more then that..." Reluctantly, Matthew rolled up his sleeves. That's when Arthur understood what had happened. On Matthew's wrists, there were marks where nails had dug in to restrain him from moving. More up the arm, there were multiple cuts and bruises, gashes wide. Arthur looked at Matthew, horror-stricken.

"Who-"

"Alfred." Matthew unrolled his sleeves, not meeting Arthur's eyes. "At least... That's what he called himself. That's who he looked like. but it wasn't him. I know well enough that Alfred would never do such a thing to me..." Matthew looked over at Arthur finally, and it was plain to see the tears weld up in his eyes. "Right?"

All Arthur knew to do was hug the young nation, who just started bawling. "Of course he would never do this," Arthur said. But now, he wasn't sure. How was it possible, anyway, with Alfred having been with him? Maybe...

Arthur's eyes widened. It hit him. "Matthew, you're right. It wasn't Alfred."

Matthew looked up at Arthur, managing to calm his cries. "Th-Th-Then who...?"

"Arthur? Matthew?" The two jumped, startled, then looked over at the voice, Alfred. It seemed he had woken up. Still without his glasses, Alfred squinted to see correctly. "That IS you two, right?"

"Ah..." Arthur blinked. This was going to be interesting. "Yes, it's me, Alfred. And Matthew."

"How did I get home...?"

Arthur and Matthew looked at each other. They didn't need to say anything to know. Matthew wiped his eyes and patted the seat just across from Matthew and Arthur. "...Come here and sit. I'll grab some coffee."

* * *

><p>Alfred stared down at his untouched cup of coffee, hands knit in his own hair as he rested his elbows on his knees. He couldn't believe what he'd just heard.<p>

"...And I just passed out?"

"Yes," Arthur replied.

"But then... I... to Matthew?"

"No," Matthew said almost silently. "Someone that looked like you, spoke the same as you, called himself 'Alfred', but not you..."

"..." Alfred shut his eyes, keeping his head down as he tried to process everything that he'd just been told. He remembered walking aimlessly in the rain, but he didn't remember Arthur ever being there. And he never recalled going home so quickly and doing such a crime upon his own little brother. Upon ANYONE, in fact. He wasn't that sort of person to take advantage of people. Everyone knew that, too. But the finger nail marks had matched his own. The bite marks probably did, too. But it just wasn't... It wasn't him, and he knew this. He looked up at Arthur and Matthew, and the look in their eyes said they KNEW that whoever assulted Matthew? It wasn't him. Arthur seemed to know exactly who it was. So did Alfred.

"I'll spill," Alfred said as an introduction to his dream from the conference before. He told about his darker side that he met. The chills that were always sent up his spine when he thought about him. How Kiku told him to wait, not take action. But now, already, this darker side of him had gone too far...

Matthew seemed astonished at this dream. How it had became a reality. "...How is it-"

"We don't know," Alfred quickly stated, knowing what was going to be said. "But what I do know is that I won't tolerate this." Alfred sat up straight, his face showing utter determination. And a slight hint of I'm-fucking-pissed. "Do you know where he went?"

Matthew shook his head, looking back down. "I just ran as fast as I could when he tried again. That's when I bumped into you and Arthur."

"Then we need a way to be safe," Arthur said immidiatly. "Something that this other part of Alfred won't know. This darker form of him."

"He'd know everything about me," Alfred retorted. "He knows where Matthew and I live. What makes it different from any other information?"

"True..." Arthur placed a finger to his temple, thinking. "Well... We'll just have to be extremely careful around you, Alfred."

"We'll know for a fact if it's you or not," Matthew said. "After all, he definatly doesn't know how you act. Or, at least, he can't mock it very well."

All three gave a curt nod. With no real plan but to be safe, the three stood to hop to bed. But a knock came to the door instead and they froze. Matthew had jumped into Arthur, who held him tight and looked at Alfred. He was practically stone frozen, staring at the door. Inch by inch, he managed his way to the door soundlessly, telling the other two to stay put. Alfred looked through his view finder in the door, and blinked in surprise. he opened the door, where Yao stood. before he could say a word, the Chinese man spoke.

"Before you say a word, I am not who you think." Yao invited himself in as Alfred closed the door quickly and locked it. "But there is somethings you must know, Alfred F Jones. Arthur Kirkland. Matthew Williams."

The three blinked. Yao didn't even say a single "aru". So what he said was true, he wasn't who they thought he was. But he didn't seem to be a threat, either.

"There are more then just your darker self, Alfred. You already know this." The Yao look-alike took a glance at Alfred. "Yourself, Kiku, and now I."

Alfred blinked. And yet he just so willingly let him into his own house? How-

"Do not be alarmed though," the shadow said. "For I am your ally."


	4. The Ally

_**The Ally**_

* * *

><p>"<em>Excuse me?" The shadow had said, blue eye glaring at the Chinese fake. "You disagree?"<em>

"_Yes," Yao had said. Rather, the look-a-like of him. His darker form. "What you did to that country was unspeakable! And I shall not partake in your activities."_

_Alfred's dark self could only build in rage and anger. Eventually, he flowed out in a small cackle, which grew. "Y-You think you can just LEAVE? Haha, just like THAT? HAHAHAHA! You're really a hoot, Wong! I real funny guy!" Alfred just laughed away at Yao, who stood rather irritated in front of his as the overly emotional man fell to his knees in laughter. Kiku stood beside Alfred with no emotion._

"_This is no joke, Alfred," Yao said, his eyebrows hunched in annoyance. "I am leaving this so called 'revolution' of yours." The cackling halted. Alfred looked at the Chinese. Sure enough, he was dead serious. Alfred stood on his feet and walked up to him._

"_So. You honestly think you can leave just like that?" Alfred glared at Yao, who stared right back._

"_Not this easily, no."_

"_You sure as Hell got that right." Alfred shoved his foot into the man's chest, knocking him to the ground, and the wind out of his lungs as he pressed hard with his foot. "No way in Hell are you leaving, Yao."_

"_What will stop me?" Yao managed to spit out, looking up at the American fake._

"_Nothing, no one. But this means you're not one of us, nor one of them." Alfred kicked the Chinese man in the side as hard as he could. Yao coughed just the slightest bit, until another kick came and knocked him to the side. Yao tried his best to get on his hands and knees. Due to the American's strength, each blow was critical._

"_I-I'd rather be alone then be on your side," Yao said weakly._

"…_Kiku," Alfred hissed, getting the Japanese man's attention. "Show this THING what it means to be alone."_

_Without hesitation, nor another word, Kiku withdrew his sword and walked to Yao, pushing him back down on the ground._

"_Listen, old man," Alfred snarled. "You don't get away from us without at least ONE scar."_

_Yao's eyes widened. "Please, no!"_

"_Yes," Kiku said, raising his blade._

"And that is why I am on your side, Alfred." The shadow Yao reached for his back. "They left me with another slash to complete my scar. Now an 'x' formation." This Yao sighed, looking up at the three faces, which seemed astonished. Alfred then knit his eyebrows.

"How can we be SURE to trust you?" It was a question that was on everyone's mind. Especially Matthew's, after what had happened to him and all.

"You can't. Therefore, if I ever get out of control, I want you to not hold back."

"Not hold back?" Matthew blinked. The darker Yao only nodded.

"Yes. I want you to vanish me from the world. But if I do not crack, I will promise to be useful to you. I know how their minds work."

The three thought about this. This false Yao did have a point…

"Alright," Alfred said. "You're with us on our side, then."

Yao almost seemed to smile. It must feel good, being accepted. But his face quickly straightened out again. "I must ask one thing, though."

Arthur blinked. "And what might that be?"

"Scissors."

"…" Arthur, Alfred, and Matthew looked at one another. Puzzled. Scissors? What the Hell for? And as if reading their minds, Yao gave am amused look.

"So you can tell the difference between me and the real Yao. Also, one more favor. Call me Dian."

* * *

><p>It must have been at least a week now. The shadow form of Yao, now called Dian, had shortened his hair so he didn't look too much like Yao, who's hair was long and flowing. Meanwhile, Dian no longer needed a ribbon or such to tie up his hair. He sort of missed the feeling of hair on his shoulders, but now with this new haircut, he felt a great weight had been lifted from him. His bangs were only slightly shorter now, though. They hadn't changed by much.<p>

It was still startling to walk around him, though. Every time Matthew passed by, he shuddered. Though, this was rather understandable. But when Arthur would pass him, he'd nearly jump out of his skin if Dian made the SLIGHTEST movement around him. Which often freaked out Dian as well, causing him to either jump back or give a slight squeak of surprise, at which they would both laugh at themselves silly. Dian seemed to be a perfectly normal sort of person. Just like a country. Except, he knew better…

"_Dian? Might I ask you something?" Dian blinked as the Englishman spoke._

"_Go right ahead," Dian said, looking back at him._

"…_In America's dream, I remember he said that his darker side told him… He wasn't really a country."_

_Dian smiled a bit, looking down. "That is something that even I cannot confirm. But I am very sure it is just head talk. To mess with him. The only people that are most certainly not countries are the ones like him and I."_

"_How are you sure?"_

"_Simple," Dian started to explain. "Because we are copies. We are not the real thing, nor will we ever be. Unless we are accepted."_

"_Accepted?" Arthur knit his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"_

"_We disappear into the people we were copied from if they accept that we are, indeed, a piece of them. Whether hidden away, tucked in, trying to hide from the world, or if you didn't even know about it. We look alike, sound alike, but we do not seem to be the same."_

"…_But aren't the copies… A darker version of us?"_

"_Yes, why?"_

"_You're not dark at all."_

_Dian chuckled. "Oh, I may not seem dark, but that's just it. I'm not his bad traits at all. China has very much accepted himself as he is. I'm the memories he will never forget."_

Dian sighed, sitting on the couch he first sat on. No one was home right now, which left him to do much thinking to himself. They were all at a meeting about the dreams Alfred had been having. He didn't go along. He couldn't handle it right now. He may be just those dark, unwanted memories, but they effected him as much as they effected Yao. He reached for his back and felt under the clothing. With a wince, he traced the scars left there. One from that memory, the other from that dark Kiku. Dian just hung his head and sighed, wondering how the conference was going for Alfred and them.


	5. The Meeting

_**The Meeting**_

* * *

><p>The room was near empty, except for the three that had called the meeting. Alfred's leg bounced impatiently as he stared at the door, just waiting for someone to walk in. On any normal occasion, he would have been pigging out on McDonalds or Burger King. Now a day, he didn't even crave a single bite of all that. All he wanted was for this situation to be over, for that dream to not replay in his head over and over. He never thought he'd come across something like this.<p>

As for Arthur, he swirled the few droplets lift of tea around in his cup. He practically had to choke it down to calm himself. A lot of things could happen. The other nations might think all three of them are crazy and just laugh at them until it was too late. It'd be the end of the world, perhaps. Unless those darker versions of themselves decided to take their place, make the nations watch their own people suffer, and they couldn't do a think about it.

Matthew, though, was probably the most panicked. What if those darker sides had heard about the meeting? Then he'd see that darker form of Alfred again… All those unwanted memories of that damn rainy night played over in his head. He did his best to try and keep them out, but that was such a hard thing to do when they were so horrible.

Finally, someone else had entered the room. They all jumped out of their skins as they heard the familiar sound of a "你好" from their fellow nation. They looked up and saw Yao take his seat calmly. Over and over in their heads, they had to remind themselves it was Yao, not Dian.

"Why do you all look so shocked, aru?" They nearly sighed in relief when that verbal tick was spoken. That was one difference between Yao and Dian. Dian didn't have the verbal tick, and spoke English oddly fluently. After all, the shadows weren't EXACT copies of themselves. But, Yao did seem a bit tense himself. Perhaps it was to room in the atmosphere…

"Bonjour, cher pays." Francis flowed into the room and sat in his own seat. "Now, now, no one say a word. I know you're all thrilled to see me."

No one did say a word, but they weren't exactly THRILLED. Francis blinked when Arthur didn't even stir. Not one verbal threat, let alone a good swat across the back of his head. So it seemed, now, like a VERY good idea to just shut up. He looked at Yao, who glanced back, just as confused. But that nervousness was caught in his eyes as they shifted away rather quickly.

Finally, heavy boots met the carpet of the room as the largest nation had arrived. "Привет," Ivan sighed, taking his seat. He sensed the turmoil amongst the minds of three in the room, but didn't smirk. He could tell this involved everyone, including himself. Something he didn't need.

All six were gathered there of the Allies. Francis looked around for a quick head count. "So… What is this about?"

"Not everyone is here yet," Matthew said softly, his hands gripping his knees nervously.

"There are more?" Ivan blinked. That was unusual.

"But it has always just been us, aru." Yao looked over at Ivan and Francis, who looked back with an EXTREME amount of confusion. Looking over to Alfred, Yao crossed his arms. "Who else could be coming?"

"The Axis," Alfred simply replied, keeping his eyes glued to the door.

"Ze Axis?" Francis quirked a curious eyebrow. "Why are ze a part of this?"

"It involves more then them and us," came the American's quick reply. "But for now, that's all who will know. Tell anyone you can."

"Tell zem WHAT?" Francis was starting to grow a bit impatient with all this waiting. "Alfred, you are not giving us ANY idea what is going on! Can you NOT feel the tention in this room?"

"I sure as hell feel it!" Alfred snapped, glaring at the Frenchman now. "Maybe you should shut up until you know everything that's going on!"

Francis was most certainly taken a back. It wasn't normal for America to lose his cool like this. He already figured something was up, but with Alfred's sudden yelling? It was certainly a dead serious matter. Francis just sat back in his seat and remained silent. Ivan was a bit surprise as well just from hearing Alfred yell something like that. Yao, too, was shocked at such abnormal behavior.

Alfred turned his attention to the door, then blinked. His shout had been heard by Ludwig and Feliciano both as they entered the room. Arthur looked over and sighed.

"Come in, you two," he said. "I'm sorry. Alfred under a lot of pressure due to the reason we called this meeting."

"That is alright," Ludwig said, his voice slightly off it's normal hefty and stern tone. The shout must of even startled him. Feliciano seemed to scared to even speak. With a bit of a push, Ludwig lead Feliciano in and they took their seats. Alfred's face immidietly grew worried, looking at the two Axis members.

"Where's Kiku?"

"Right here, Alfred-San." Alfred whipped his head back to the door. There he was, but Kiku was without his uniform, but with his house wear. With a slight push, he rolled himself in on the wheelchair he'd been submitted to. Alfred had sank in his chair. This is what that shadow of Kiku did? Confined him to a chair? Was this perminant? Kiku wheeled himself next to his allies, parking himself beside the chair he would of sat in if he could have.

Without another word from anyone else, Alfred stood. "Alright... It started off when I had this dream of a white void."

* * *

><p>"A shadow? So you and Kiku both have one?" Feliciano had finally gotten to courage to speak up, rather curious about the whole thing. Then, it sort of made him sick to his stomach to think about it.<p>

"Yes," Kiku answered for Alfred, who seemed to be suppressing his emotions right now as he hung his head and gripped his hair. "Alfred-San and I both had the same dream, and both have a darker side of us."

"Did that dark version of Alfred really... You know..." Francis was worried as Hell as he looked over at his little Matthew, who he once raised until Arthur took over the job. Matthew simply nodded and curled up in his seat more.

"Then that is the last straw!" Ludwig, as always whenever a situation that had negative results happened, had a face of pure anger and aggression. "We can't allow this anymore!"

"Well, there is one thing I do not understand." Kiku looked over at Alfred. "We both had the same dream. But then how is Dian to be?"

Before Alfred could speak, Yao looked warily to the side. "I-I had a similar dream a while ago, aru... So that is probably how."

"That's it then! We just don't SLEEP? And they'll stop COMING?" Ludwig almost scoffed at such a ridiculous idea. "There is no way in Hell we can end it like that, so how are we supposed to-"

"Dian's helping us," Arthur scolded at the German. "He knows how their minds work."

"Zen how can we trust Dian?" Francis crossed his arms. "How do we know he won't lie to us?"

Ivan chuckled coldly. "Francis, do you know anyone ELSE who will work? It's not like we can send SPIES to watch them or something. They seem far too clever for such a trivial thought."

"We'll just have to trust him," Matthew spoke up. "It may not be much, nor that reliable, but he doesn't seem bad at all."

"Nor does FRANCIS on some occasions," Arthur said.

"Hey, zis is NO time for jokes, Arthur," the Frenchman retorted. "Right now, I suppose Dian IS our only source. Besides maybe what our dreams have told us."

"They will only tell you what will happen to you, then try to confuse you." Kiku rolled over by Alfred and lay a hand on his back. "They will do anything to get to you."

"..." Alfred raised his head and sighed, looking at everyone else. "This meeting was to just inform everyone. Right now, we should get home and tell everyone we can. This isn't just about myself and Kiku anymore. Yao's had the dream, too. Yao's just lucky that his shadow is on our side."

"Right," Ludwig said with a stand. "Let us get home quickly. We have no time to lose."

Everyone gave a curt nod and started to head back home in their cars. Arthur was staying in his own home now, but would often call. Alfred had been at home twenty-four/seven unless he went out places with someone. So, with that, everyone left for home.

* * *

><p>"Meeting, everyone!" The dark Alfred called out. Only Kiku stood there.<p>

"Everyone, Alfred-San? It is just me."

"Yeah, yeah. Well, it's about Yao-"

"You mean Dian?"

Alfred glared. "Dian? HAH! That's just a fake little name he came up with. He knows better. That he's just that dark version of Yao."

"I suppose so, yes." Kiku remained emotionless, even as Alfred's hand lifted the smaller man's chin.

"But you know all about why he's not like us, don't you?" With a smirk, Alfred gripped Kiku's chin hard, nearly jaw breaking. But still, Kiku did not flinch. He just stood their in uniform, lips almost shut tight. He knew the reason Dian was not like them. Yao accepted all of himself, except the cold memories the real Kiku had left for him to linger over. But Yao would pretend they never happened. They never occurred.

"No matter," Alfred said, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Tonight we'll have a new recruit to take that stupid 'Dian's' place." Alfred gave a cold, cruel cackle. "That damn Alfred Jones will wish he never met us! Soon enough, he'll believe that he really ISN'T a country. Then we can sneak behind and take their place, make the world OURS!"

Kiku did not listen to Alfred's ranting on, though. He knew better as well, that himself and Alfred were not really countries at all. And, in Alfred's logic, if he was not a country, neither was the man who created him from those harsh memories. Kiku often thought he was right. But then again, he had his own wars that he didn't quite understand. Kiku put a hand to his temple.

"Being what I am can be such a headache," he whispered to himself. Alfred clearly had not heard him, for his crazed laughed still echoed loud in the darkening sky above them.

It looked like it would be another rainy day in London.


	6. The Scoundrel

_**The Scoundrel**_

* * *

><p><em>Arthur twitched a bit where he lay. The ground was there, but it felt like it wasn't. Slowly, he opened up is eyes, welcoming the bright white light that filled his vision. Wait, this wasn't a light… Arthur blinked and looked around at the endless white. It took a while before he realized. This was the white void in Alfred's own dream. Shooting to his feet in panic, Arthur whipped his head around. No voice. No one to be seen. He remembered how Alfred tried to run, but there was seemingly no end, so Arthur didn't even TRY to repeat what he already knew was pointless.<em>

_Arthur froze. The sound of footsteps came up behind him._

"_Helpless already?" The voice said with a smirk. Arthur shivered. Sure, he knew it wasn't his own voice, but he still freaked him out. Slowly, he turned around, and his eyes widened._

"_What's wrong, Arthur? Do you remember these black boots? The buckles on them? This fine red coat?" The man chuckled, then tiled his hat. "Perhaps you remember this? Yes, those were good plunders, indeed." Arthur shivered as the man stepped forward more. "Well, dear Arthur Kirkland, you know what happens now, don't you? If not, you must be bloody stupid."_

_Arthur groaned. "What, are you going to attempt to confuse me with meaningless words?"_

_His shadow chuckled. "Meaningless? Oh, but Arthur! You know how real these words are. Even from a PIRATE. They're real."_

"_Shut up. I left that life-"_

"_And tried ever so hard to forget! But you couldn't, nor could you forgive. That's why I'm here. Hasn't it sunk in yet?" The shadow chuckled. "Or were you too busy thinking about when YOU sunk ships?"_

"SHUT UP!" Arthur shot up from his bed, his heart racing. Quickly, he reached for the phone and dialed Alfred's number.

Alfred hung up the phone, sighing. Matthew had been standing beside him the whole time with Dian, both looking worried.

"What happened?" Matthew asked finally, touching his brother's arm comfortingly.

"He had the dream," Alfred simply stated, not looking at either of them, but facing towards the window. "He'll be coming over in a while."

"I have to run and get groceries, though," Matthew said knitting his eyebrows. "None of us can be alone."

"I know," Alfred said. "You go with Dian, I'll make sure the house is under a tight lockdown."

Matthew bit his lip. He, honestly, wasn't so sure it was a good idea, but… With a small, unsure nod, he grabbed his jacket and zipped up. "Alfred? PLEASE be safe." While he waited for an answer, Alfred just bit his lip, knowing he couldn't guarantee it. With a sigh, Matthew left the house with Dian, leaving Alfred alone in the house.

…

An hour must have passed. Alfred lay on the couch waiting for either Matthew and Dian to return home, or for Arthur to knock on his door. Not even the TV was on. Sadly, this gave him enough time to have thought about what his own shadow had said. That he wasn't a country… Now that he had thought about it, it was most certainly a possibility. Well, there was no way to confirm it, nor deny it. Alfred had always thought about it now a days. But then how could they live for long periods of time? Was that all just some sort of… hallucination?

His thoughts were interrupted when a bang of a fist came to his door and he jumped.

"Alfred? Alfred, let me in! Please!"

Arthur! Alfred hopped to his feet and ran for the door, unlocking it quickly and opening it. "Common, get inside," he hissed, Arthur doing so. Quickly locking the house back up, Alfred looked at the shaken Arthur. "Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah…" Arthur shuddered, arms crossed. "I'm just… Scared."

Alfred sighed and went over to Arthur, guiding him to sit on the couch. "Matthew and Dian went out shopping, so it's just us." Arthur gave a small nod, finding a pillow to clutch onto. Alfred rubbed the older nation's back to try and get him to relax. "Wanna tell me what he said?"

"…" Arthur sighed and looked down at his feet. "He brought up my own past… How I couldn't forget it. He told me I already knew the whole deal… Since you've told me in the past about your own dreams, and Kiku told us at the meeting… I'm just scared… There's one like ME now… You know what I was once before. The worst sort of person. One with no cares and a handgun." Arthur curled into the pillow more, burying his head as well. Alfred knew what he was talking about. His youthful, foolish days as a pirate captain. Alfred wrapped an arm around Arthur and let him curl into his chest.

"It's okay, Arthur," he said. "It's okay.

* * *

><p>"OKAY?" The shadow laughed. "This isn't okay at ALL!" Alfred stepped up and swiped the hat from Arthur's head, waving it around in his face. "This is the TWENTY-FIRST century, dumbass! Wear some getup like this and OF COURSE the cops are gonna ask questions! You're lucky Kiku was there to slaughter them before they could arrest you."<p>

Kiku, blood stained, stood there beside his leader, looking at the Arthur whom was being scolded. Arthur crossed his arms and snatched up his hat.

"Well, this is how I appeared! You arrived in the same clothes you-"

"Enough of that bullshit, Arthur," Alfred snapped. "Kiku, change. And fetch the damn Englishman some REAL clothes."

With a sigh, Kiku nodded and left. He always seemed to be doing the dirty work around here.

Then again, all they DID was down and dirty, wasn't it?

* * *

><p>Francis sipped his wine, a small sigh passing his lips. He looked out his window, the perfect view of his lovely Eiffel Tower. With all these shadows going around, what would happen to his precious art? His culture? His historic buildings? His people? It pained him to think about it all, and the wine wouldn't help in the morning, but it's poisonous taste snapped at him to drink more. And so he did.<p>

Wine was such an elixir of joy. Francis smiled as it slid bitterly down his throat. Honestly, he didn't understand why that Russian brute didn't enjoy such a small treasure. It was delicious. France looked out his window with a slightly blissful smile, and then blinked. Squinting to see on his beloved tower, he could have sworn he saw Kiku. But… Without a wheelchair. Could he have recovered so quickly? Francis shrugged it off for now and leaned over his table, as he drifted into a deep slumber.


	7. The Solution

_**The Solution**_

* * *

><p><em>Francis took a good look around him. A white void, no sound. He tilted his head. This was how America and Japan had both described their dreams. And if he predicted right, he'd soon meet his own darker side. But, curious as it was, Francis wasn't afraid or anything. It was his darker self, right? But it was still himself, if what those anti-selves said was true.<em>

_And, of course, as it had happened in dreams before his, he suddenly heard his own voice give a perverse laugh._

"_Onhonhon," it chuckled, Francis looking around for his anti's source. "Well, looks like it is now MY turn to shine, isn't it?"_

"_I suppose that's how it would go, yes?" Francis blinked. This wasn't SO bad. At least, not to himself. "You should really give proper greeting, monsieur. Don't you think it's rather rude to appear invisible?"_

"_You're always about casualties," the voice sighed. "Where's the fun in you searching for me?"_

_Now it was Francis himself who laughed. "Hah, you think I would look for you? No no no, sir. I don't look when I know better. I'll run and run, and nothing will happen until you're satisfied."_

_There was a thoughtful silence, and then the voice chuckled. "You always did love it when they all chased after you, Francis Bonnefoy." Slightly proud of that, Francis couldn't help but to give a smirk. It was true, and he certainly knew it! And, personally, he was not ashamed. "I suppose it's only fair…"_

_Soft footsteps tapped on the seemingly floorless bottom of the void. There was no sound of shoe, so when Francis looked over, he was not all that shocked to seem himself walking closer, barefoot and covered in nothing but a think red velvet sheet._

"_After all, you and I think the very same way." Francis really couldn't deny his statement. Was it awkward and wrong to be turned on by his own self image before him, though?_

"_You seem happy to see yourself," his darker side mused, arms folded delicately across his chest, as if making sure the sheet didn't slip away and to the floor. The true Frenchman, though, was only amused._

"_I am a rather good looking man," Francis replied with a wink. "I simply cannot help myself."_

"_You never could when it came to sex," the shadow mused. "And it was never about how much in pain they were, as long as you had your fill." Hugging himself, the dark self of Francis gave a cruel smirk. "Aren't I right?" Waiting for his answer, the shadow shot a cold but alluring look in his direction. But instead of the astonished face he expected, Francis only looked thoughtful._

_"I suppose you're right," he finally said to the shadow's surprise. "But there is one person whom I could never harm like that."_

_Both knew who Francis spoke of, with the kindest smile on both their faces. Meeting a familiar gaze, they stepped close to one another._

_"If only he hadn't been taken from you," the darker one said. Francis gave a soft smile. "But you two are making up for lost time, aren't you?"_

_"Indeed," Francis said with a smile. "I've been changing my ways for him."_

_"..." The dark Francis opened his arms in a God-like manner. "You accept the past?"_

_"I accept all of me," Francis simply replied. "I may not like some bits of me, but that does not mean I am to cast them off as if they never were a part of me. Am I correct?"_

_The shadow nodded. "You are indeed." With a shrug. the darker Francis laid a hand over the truer one's eyes. "Then just wake up." And as the hand began to vanish, the white void glittered and began to fade with it._

Francis blinked, looking at the glass of wine in front of his eyes. He was still at that table. When he sat up, a loud crack of his back and neck made an echo practically, not to mention a wince from Francis. "Oi, am I that old?" With an amused chuckle, Francis smiled and looked out his window.

When he saw his tower, sudden realization came over his face. He grabbed his phone and dialed for Arthur.

* * *

><p>"You ACCEPT all that?" Arthur blinked. "You never said that over the phone."<p>

"From what I heard, it was 'Gather a meeting' and then a click." Alfred haunched in his seat to look at Francis, who only blinked with a raised eyebrow.

"What? Why are you all looking at me like that?"

Arthur cleared his throat, looking around at everyone else. Axis and Allies, like before. "Um..." His eyes went to Francis. "Honestly, Francis? We didn't EXPECT that."

"Je suis ce que je suis," Francis said with a shrug. "I am what I am. And I shan't deny it."

"Well..." Alfred knit his eyebrows. "Alright... So what does this mean?"

"He disappeared in your dream, right?" Matthew looked at Francis, who had (for once) everyone's attention. "So... Maybe he won't appear?"

"That is the feeling I get, yes," Francis said with a nod. "I think if we just accept them as a part of us-"

"NO WAY!" Everyone jumped as Alfred's sudden shout, looking over at him now. His chair was tipped over for he had shot up to his feet at Francis' idea, hands planted on the table, glaring down the table at the Frenchman. "There is NO way that's what happened!"

"Then maybe he is good?" Ivan suggested.

"No!" Alfred slammed his fist on the table. "There is no way in Hell that...!" Alfred went quiet, looking down. "...There's gotta be some OTHER way, right?"

"Alfred-San." Kiku knit his eyebrows in worry, rolling over beside his dear friend. "I understand that they will be something hard to accept."

"You have that right," Yao said with a nod, looking down as those memories flooded back into his mind and he shuddered. "Alfred, it may be hard... But, maybe-"

"We'll find another way," Alfred interjected, looking to Arthur. "Right?"

"..." Arthur didn't want to lie, but he couldn't just nod his head and say that of COURSE everything would be fine. That they wouldn't have to accept it. But Francis had made a good point... "I don't know, Alfred," he sighed instead, only making Alfred's small hope shrink even more.

"But that's how it works."

"How would you know, Yao?" Germany blinked, looking at the Chinese man.

"That was not me, aru!" Yao blinked. Dian stood forward from the doorway. He'd been told my Arthur to stay outside, but Dian wasn't one to just stand there and do as he was told all the time.

"That's how we vanish," he said to Alfred. "To be accepted is all we want."

"..." Alfred glared at his fist on the table, eyes hidden by the bangs of his hair. There was no way he'd accept it.

"...Dian's a shadow," Ivan thought aloud. "He must be right."

Dian looked over at Ivan and blinked. Total strangers, the two (technically), and Ivan was agreeing. A small twitch of a smile crawled it's way onto Dian's lips. Ivan looked over at Dian, making his smile vanish before it was seen.

"He knows more then us." Ivan stood up. "I think we should listen to him."

"See?" Francis stood as well. "Ivan agrees with me!"

"I-Is that really how it works," Feliciano asked Dian, looking at him now.

"...Yes," Dian said, trying to keep a calm face. For some reason, the Russian's eyes on him made him a bit fluttery and nervous. "I really wish that it wasn't the case either, but to be accepted-"

"Alright already," Alfred hissed. "Meeting's over."

Arthur blinked. "But, Al-"

"MEETING'S. OVER. Matthew, I'll meet you at the car. Dian, go home with Arthur for today." With that, Alfred stormed on out, not even bothering to pick up his chair. Everyone could only stand in silence for a while, before finally standing to their feet and going home.

* * *

><p>A loud roar echoed through the vacant room. "What do you MEAN you couldn't find him?"<p>

"He simply wasn't there," a voice replied to the angry shadow. "I looked around, even-"

"Idiot!" Alfred smacked the Brit across the face, knocking him to the floor with the amount of strength he had. "You didn't look hard enough!"

Arthur coughed, the wind having been knocked out of his lungs. "B-bloody Hell, Alfred! Will you LISTEN?"

"Like HELL I will!" Alfred gave a good, hard kick to Arthur's side, then grabbed him by the throat of his shirt. "Why can't you do ANYTHING right?" With a yell, Alfred threw him to the wall and kneed his stomach hard. "I bet he's wandering AROUND now! And you're not there to find him? I TOLD you, Arthur! Report to me when you FOUND him! And yet your stupid ass came back empty armed!" With a throw of his fist, the American fake practically broke Arthur's jaw as blood dripped like a slow river from the side of the Englishman's lips. Before Arthur could throw a hit, Alfred had him on the ground, pinning him down and tearing at his clothes. "You'll PAY for your idiocy!"

"Alfred-San."

"WHAT?" Alfred looked up at Kiku, who stood emotionless before him and the bloody Arthur, who was amazingly still conscious.

"Francis had accepted him," Kiku said lifelessly, just staring at the two.

Alfred let out an impatient growl, standing up. "...We'll have to find someone else, then," he thought aloud. "...Kiku. Clean this... THING up." Alfred spat at the fake Brit, who just glared at Alfred with all the anger and hate he had inside him as the American stormed off.

Doing as he was told, Kiku went to help up Arthur, who smacked his hand away.

"Don't fucking touch me," he snapped, rolling to his side and torn cloth and blood fell from his body as he attempted to get up from the ground. _Pay, he says,_ thought Arthur. He rolled his eyes and stood, shakily but successfully. _I'll show him...!_


	8. The Shadows

_**The Shadows**_

* * *

><p>Night blanketed the endless skies above where Alfred roamed. Accompanied by his ever loyal Kiku, he stared up at the moon, in which no stars blinked anywhere in the sheets it shared. It looked awful lonely up there. And that's how Alfred liked it. Lonely. If the moon were like his so called "other", then it would be the loneliest, for though it was discovered and conquered, no life STAYED on it. It was just robotics bringing back examples. And everyone stared at it like it was alien, like how Alfred did now. Lying in the grass of the country field, the fake tilted his head as if to get a better angle.<p>

While many devious thoughts ran through Alfred's mind, Kiku, instead, stared forward into the clear scene on his feet; where only the grass and maybe a few scattered trees met his view. Kiku's mind was always seemingly empty, but many strange things were in his mind. Almost like a newborn child wondering about what things are. He thought of things like the deep ocean, how it was possible that life could actually be there. Then again, he had to admit, he himself existed, but he knew he shouldn't. His eyes shifted to look at Alfred, who continued to plot things in his mind as he stared up. Kiku couldn't help but to wonder what his leader was driven by. Why did he think that those called countries were really just people in a dream? Rather, why did he say those things? Did that make his beloved leader a villain? If that was the case, was he, too, a villain? Or was Alfred right and they were both the protagonists in this topsy turvey battle?

Kiku didn't know the answer to those questions. All he could tell was that his purpose was to serve Alfred. That's what his mind told him. His heart was a whole other thing, though. Something he didn't listen to, much unlike his own other, the real Kiku. The real Kiku was kind, oddly outgoing despite all the time he spent alone in his room, curled up and afraid of the world. Kiku wanted to be known like that, as outgoing. But he could never speak words of his own. He was all about what his mind said was right, not his heart, and he knew it. As his gaze shifted up to look at the moon, blank eyes kept his thoughts hidden away.

Alfred finally sat up and looked at the Japanese man. He kept silent, thinking of what he'd do. It's been just Kiku and himself for the longest time, until Arthur showed up. For some reason, Arthur liked to ruin everything. At least, that's what Alfred thought. Kiku was so loyal, and was the only one who got things done. He made no mistakes.

Grabbing the ankle of his loyal team member, he pulled so Kiku lost his balance and fell over after a yelp of shock flew from his throat. Before he could even ask why his leader did that, Alfred had slid up and rested his head on Kiku's chest. It wasn't rare when this happened. Alfred was just a strange one, which he and his other shared in common. Though, this Alfred didn't eat ungodly amounts of hamburgers and fast food. That was probably a large difference that made them different.

Alfred faced Kiku with a strange look in his eye. Kiku just blinked and stared at him, blank eyes and all, hiding the curiosity he had about his leader. Alfred just propped himself up on an elbow and held his head up, staring at the other shadow. But it wouldn't be odd silence for long.

"Why are you so loyal?" Alfred asked. Kiku remained blank, waiting for him to explain what he meant by such a question. "Arthur's nothing but a screw up. He doesn't even TRY. And yet, you do all you can to please me." With a chuckle, he leaned in closer, searching in those blank brown eyes. "Why do you care?"

Kiku only knew one thing to say. "I serve you," he said simply. While it wasn't the sort of answer Alfred had been searching for, knowing this because of the single raised eyebrow, Kiku waited for some sort of hit or verbal threat. It's how he treated everyone else. So why not him as well?

But Alfred did not hit him or spit vial words at him. He just sighed in slight disappointment and went to a stand. "Let's get going," Alfred ordered, looked at Kiku as he went to a stand. "That stupid Brit's at the shack. Let's hope he's got us another member."

* * *

><p>"Oh, blast all!" Arthur shouted as he slammed his fists into the wall. Why wasn't it working? What was he doing wrong? No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't seem to get it right. Arthur whipped his head to the markings on the floor, where he would conjure up another one of himself. Well, not EXACTLY himself, but another shadow. Sending dreams to a country and then extracting the shadow that appeared. But it just wouldn't do as long as the person accepted it! How many people could ACCEPT their cruel selves, anyway?<p>

In utter frustration, the Englishman flipped over his table of polyjuices and potions with a loud shout. He had about enough. He'd tried and tried. About twenty-six times, to be exact, and that was just this night. It was a falure the last night when he tried to bring the shadow of Fracnis from the void. But, then again, he wasn't too sure he WANTED Francis around in the first place. But it was his job, though he questioned his so-called leader's orders. Was he to do all the bloody damn work? Alfred managed to bring Kiku, who would follow his every order without question. But Arthur wasn't some mindless zombie that would just do as he was told. HE wanted to lead! He was one of the first shadows born in the void, but just because Alfred came out first makes him leader? To Arthur, that was utter bullshit. With another yell, the Brit reached for his old pistol and sent a few shots to the door. He may be a bit crazy, yes. This was undeniable. But he had his reasons.

Out of the several holed door, Alfred puched open the door with a not too please expression. "Aaaaand WHAT are you doing?"

Arthur groaned, looking at the younger man. How did Kiku stand him? "Get the Hell out, Jones," he snarled. "I'm in no mood for your damn scolding."

"Why?" Alfred laughed. "Lemme guess. You STILL can't get it right!" With an embarrassed flush, Arthur looked away with crossed arms. Why the Hell did he take this crap? In all honestly, that was one thing he didn't know. With a smirk, Alfred simply stepped in and shoved him to the side.

"Fine. I'LL do the damn job, since you can't." After he cracked his knuckles, he picked up the few unbroken vials and, just to fuck with Arthur, threw them to the wall so they wouldn't survive the hit. "You don't need these, you moron! Nor this!" Alfred began to scuff up the markings on the ground, which the Brit didn't like in the least. As Alfred went to tear up the pages of the books, Arthur grabbed him by the throat and threw him down to the glass decorated ground, but Alfred didn't flinch at the sharp pains at his backside. He just pulled Arthur down with and flipped the positions, face close to his.

"You better WATCH it, Kirkland," he spat. "I can end you quicker then you think."

"You couldn't the first time, what makes this any DIFFERENT?"

For a moment, Alfred looked pained. Until, when one took a closer look, you could see a slight snicker playing at the corner of his mouth. A small guffaw passed his lips, then another, until soon it burst into an uproar of psychotic laughter. "FIRST TIME? Hah! I believe it was YOU, damn Brit, that couldn't even TOUCH me!"

"Wh...What?" Arthur blinked, thinking about it. That memory...? That memory wasn't even theirs! "Alfred, you're being ridiculous, that's not what I was talking about!"

Alfred smirked, standing up, and clearly not listening. "You're such a hoot, Kirkland. Honestly! Hah!" With more rolls of laughter, Alfred left the room, leaving Arthur in a state of much wonder.

_He's getting carried away... Does he really think... He HIMSELF is the real Alfred F. Jones?_

* * *

><p>Alfred laughed down the hallway, going to his own room. The shack they lived in wasn't really a banged up old place, though that was it's appearance on the outside. There was a secret annex that lead to a set of stairs spiraling downward. It went on for a while, about a floor more, and there was a long hallway, with many doors to many rooms, to many many more rooms. Anyone who didn't have a good sense of direction could get lost.<p>

But Alfred was already lost. In his own mind. Ahhh, delicious memories. HE was called the fake? To himself, he was more real then anyone in the world, so he should be the real Alfred. No, that was wrong. He WAS the real Alfred! Yes. It made sense. He had the same memories. So it was him! He accepted ALL of who he was. He was no priss like his so called "real self". He was a real deal.

These were Alfred's thoughts as he went down to his room to bring in the new shadow.

* * *

><p><em>The man lay there, upon the white void he'd lived in for quite some time now. He never needed a shower, nor food, water, nothing. It was strange, it seemed to him, that he could live upon nothing but the things that his maker dreamed. There were always dreams of when he was a child. Bright green fields of grass, a man called Roderich, who had a bit of a temper, and then there was her. A beautiful little girl. There was this single curl that stuck out, reddish brown and... She was just adorable. Their first and last kiss was soft. Sweet. But one thing was strange. In other dreams, there was an young man, with that same hair. But his maker didn't seem to make a connection. So, instead, he lay there in wonder, staring up at nothing. Then, a shout interrupted his thoughts.<em>

_"HALLO?" He blinked. That voice was much like his own. He stood to his feet, and noticed something that he never had before. Clothes. On his own person. He felt something on his head, which must obviously be a hat. His clothes were like a military man's, in a black color. Then, a bright red caught his eye. He looked at it and studied it carefully. A band, with a white circle. Within that white circle was an odd black mark, with four spokes. It reminded him of a spider, almost. He blinked to look for the voice, and something whispered in his head._

_"Have no mercy," it said. This was a voice he barely recognized, but it was in his maker's dreams. A blonde, rather ignorant man. Then he remembered these clothes. Those memories. All as if they hit him like a gun shot in the heart. His expression grew dark, and he nodded._

_"Hail," he said, and he stepped towards the voice of his maker._


	9. The Power

_**The Power**_

* * *

><p>Ludwig shot up from bed, taking a desperate gasp for air. Only seconds ago, he'd been choking with the grasp of darkness surrounding his neck and down. No matter how hard he tried, there had been no way to escape it. Ludwig felt around his body, remembering the icy touch it had that sent shivers up his spine. What a nightmare…<p>

"_Wait… You're one of them!" Ludwig stared, wide eyed at the look-a-like, with an angered expression on his face. How could he not have expected this to happen to him eventually? The shadow of himself only__ stared back with a murderous look, as if his intentions were wicked enough to kill him._

"_And if I am?" He spoke, his voice like poison. The German slowly reached for his side, keeping his eyes on the shadow, who continued to speak. "What if I am what you long forgot. At least, what you tried to forget. You couldn't leave me behind all these years, could you? To forget something as terrible as you have done? Some would call that bravery, but that, to me, is only something a coward would do."_

_Ludwig twitched a bit. To be called a coward? "Those were the orders I was given, they had to be followed."_

_The shadow gave a step forward. "You're like a dog on a leash, aren't you?" A mocking hand reached towards him and beckoned him to come, as if her were indeed a dog. And as much as he would have liked to, Ludwig didn't snap. The only thing to do in this situation was keep a cool head, to not let him win. Though, Alfred was right. It was hard to accept such things about themselves._

_So, quickly, his hand snatched up the gun at his side and he aimed with a bang._

Ludwig growled at himself a bit. How did he become so weak at that moment? He couldn't accept it. Never in his life could he accept it, but he knew he'd have to. Now that wild man was loose in the real world and out of that void. With a hand firmly knit in his untamed strands of pure blonde hair, at which he suddenly flinched when he touched it, Ludwig stared to the other side of his bed.

"….are you okay?" Feliciano sat up in the bed, having been woken by the jolt Ludwig had given. With a shake of his head, Ludwig let his hand lay limp at his side.

"No. I had that dream…"

"Which one?" Feliciano scoot up closer so he could face the German, looking at him with a worried expression.

"With that void… The one Kiku and them all had."

Feliciano remained still for a moment, taking in that sentence. Not Ludwig, just please not Ludwig. "Are you sure?"

Knowing what his friend meant by that, Ludwig hesitated for a moment, but knew, in the end, that he'd have to nod and say it was true. Which was something neither of them wanted to realize.

"_Give in," the shadow said, standing over the wincing Ludwig, who'd gotten a fair beating. This was probably one of the rare moments Ludwig wished he didn't work out so much._

"_N-Never," Ludwig's pride told him to say, and that's what slipped from his lips. Even though he knew better then that, even though he knew he had to admit it in the end, that all this would be a waist. He was wasting his own time fighting it off._

"…_suit yourself," with a snap of the shadow's fingers, a sudden uneasy feeling came over Ludwig and he clutched his stomach. "I'll see you again." The shadow pardoned himself, and seemed to disappear from the void. Ludwig's eyes widened as he tried to get up, bloodied and scarred from the fight._

"_Get back here! You coward, this isn't over!" As he yelled, a sudden choke came and his eyes widened. He felt his neck and his fingers almost stung with ice. He looked down, and a wicked darkness began to eat away at him. He yanked and pulled, trying to get away, but there was no use. He'd been restrained from neck to toe, and it still inched up, covering his head just after a rather terrified shout escaped the German._

"…Call Kiku," Feliciano said, grabbing the phone at their bedside. "He has to know."

"Right," Ludwig replied, taking the phone with a weakened arm. For a moment, he just stared at the lit up screen. Everything was processing through his head still. Mostly the last words he heard when he was surrounded in that darkness.

"_You're too cruel. Not only for you wars, but for the one you loved and left."_

What did that mean? Ludwig continued to stare at his phone. With a heavy sigh, he dialed his brother's number first. To warn him.

* * *

><p>"<em>I'll be safe, West, don't worry about me. I promise. What could go wrong?"<em>

Words that echoed through his head from at least three days ago. The ones he told his little brother so he wouldn't worry as much. Gilbert walked on through his town, a casual walk, in all honesty. Though his country didn't live anymore, Prussian blood was still in the people. It left Prussia weaker then long ago, yes, but it kept him alive.

But that's not what bugged him. Ludwig had told him about this mess a long while ago, and now those damn shadows had gotten to his little brother. And personally, that ticked him off. His West was strong, proud, never gave up. He hadn't given up yet, but to hear his voice so shaken and weak… It was like long ago when his little brother would cry at something that spooked him at night. It was cute long ago, but now it was just devastating.

"…_just don't do anything stupid."_

Gilbert found it funny. Sometimes, it was almost like Ludwig was the older of the two. But Gilbert would listen, because his little brother knew well. After all, Gilbert DID raise him. Of course he'd know best! With a small chuckle to himself, Gilbert turned the corner into his usual ally shortcut. But when he looked straight ahead, he stopped dead. His path was blocked by a door. It was never there before, though, which Gilbert found strange. Maybe it was just something new that was built there. Walking up to the new door, Gilbert felt the wall where it was placed. It felt slick and undamaged, but it looked beaten to hell. They did a surefire job on making it blend with the rest of the slightly battered city.

"_Don't worry, West. I'll be fine. Just make sure you're okay."_

_And I will be fine,_ Gilbert thought, pushing open the door to look inside. A long hallway was in his sights, and he blinked. Just where did THIS lead? Maybe it just connected the buildings, now. So, if that was true, all he had to do was walk straight and that was that! He'd get to his usual destination in no time. Though, he never did receive a letter about this. Maybe it's because he didn't need to know, since his country status was gone. All he really was now was the pride that Prussian blood had left. But, that was just the reality now. And Gilbert wanted to get to his pub. Gilbert left the door open and walked on in, thinking about which beer he'd get today. A shiver hit Gilbert's spine and he stopped for a moment. _They really need to turn down the AC,_ he thought, continuing to walk forward until he heard a loud SLAM! With a jump, Gilbert sprung around, the door shut, but someone was in front of that door.

"_Gilbert, I'm not kidding. Don't trust anyone you see. Not even me."_

"West?" Gilbert blinked, looking at his little brother before him. "Didja come to check on me or somethin'?" With a laugh, Gilbert relaxed a bit. "Man, you must've been really worried!" He walked forward to Ludwig, hands in his pockets. "I was just about to get a beer. We can talk at the pub, just you and me! How's Feliciano doing?"

Gilbert's words were cut off when footsteps came at him and, when actually paying attention, he realized Ludwig was charging at him. Then he finally got it.

_"You'll see me, but it may not be me."_

_"How will I know?"_

_"You just will."_

Clearly, Gilbert just made a stupid mistake, and he only realized it when the world went black.

_"Alright, I'll watch what I'm doing. You just take care, alright? I'm sure you've got more people to call."_

_"I just wanted to warn you first... Call me if anything happens. If you can't get ahold of me, call Feliciano."_

_"Alright. I will."_

_"...Gilbert?"_

_"Yeah, West?"_

_"Be safe."_

_"I promise."_

Gilbert shot up and gasped for life back in his lungs, coughing when there was too much intake. He looked around for the imposter, frantic to get away. Left, right, he was no where down the halls, it seemed. Gilbert stood to his feet and ran back out the door he entered, stumbling into the streets. Running down the streets, he hopped over barrels of beer, bypassed cars, whatever he could do to escape. As he fleed, he reached for the cell phone in his pocked, but blinked. Where the Hell was his phone? He always had it on him. Gilbert shook his head a bit and decided, instead, to run to his house.

* * *

><p>Ludwig blinked. Who could possibly be banging on his door right now? Feliciano's head perked, looking up from the couch. He'd been staying overnight at Ludwig's since the dream to make sure he was safe, and he had told Romano to stay at Antonio's so Romano wasn't alone, either. Whiel Romano was reluctant at first, he gave in and agreed, seeing that his little brother was clearly worried. Romano, too, knew about the dreams and the shadows. Feliciano made sure to tell him first thing, and Romano spread word to Antonio, and so on. But Italy still worried a lot, expecially now that Ludwig was involved in the buisness officially.<p>

"W-who is that?" Feliciano stiffened when he heard the knocking. He figured a shadow might not do so, but you could never tell, he had also supposed.

"I'm not sure," Ludwig answered warily, sneaking up to his own front door. He took a look through the peek hole then his eyes widened. "Feliciano, go hide."

"But, Lud-"

"I said HIDE," he hissed, motioning to be quiet. Feliciano wouldn't argue anymore, so he crawled onto the ground and slipped under the futon couch. Luckily, he wouldn't choke on dust because of Ludwig's obsessive cleanliness. Ludwig went to his umbrella holder and reached in, pulling out a handgun and quickly readying it. The guest knocked on the door again and Ludwig tried to hide his fear, looking back out to see the mirror image of himself trying to open the door. Ludwig kept hidden behidn the door, hand ready to flip the lock and open the door. _One more bang,_ he thought. The handle continued to jiggle, then it stopped and things were silent. An angry growl seemed to come from the other side, but it also sounded panicked. How could his shadow be panicked? Ludwig knit his eyebrows, then, BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! The walls shook from the firsts banging against the door and Ludwig snapped the lock and swung open the door, pointing it at his shadow.

"STOP RIGHT-"

"WEST! DON'T SHOOT ME! ARE YOU CRAZY?" Ludwig was caught off guard. Only his older brother called him that. His shadow's hands were in the air, eyes wide. "Jeez, do you WANT me gone that bad? I've been out of the house for a week 'cause you told me to stay out. SURE you're worried about safety?"

"..." Ludwig lowered his gun. "Um... Gilbert?"

"Of COURSE it's me, can't you tell?"

"Erm... Feliciano." Ludwig looked under the futon and the frightened Italian. "You can come out."

"Huh?" Feliciano looked at the door, but blinked, staying under. "B-b-but, that's the shadow!"

The look-a-like, erm, GILBERT, suddenly looked like he was hit. "Yeah! The shadow! He just came out of no where and attacked me!"

"Came out of... What?" Ludwig shook his head. "Gilbert, go look in a mirror."

"What? Somethin' up with my face? Am I bleeding?" Gilbert started to feel around on his face, then blinked. His fingers didn't brush his bangs. In fact, his hair was slicked back, like Ludwig's. Gilbert ran to the mirror and looked in. Icy blue eyes met his, then they widened. Gilbert felt through his slicked hair, all over his face, his chest, looking down. Ludwig went into the bathroom doorway, staring at his older brother who was freaking out. Gilbert looked at Ludwig. "West, what's wrong with me?"

Ludwig knit his eyebrows as Feliciano slipped behind him, staring at Gilbert as well. "Um, well," he started to say. "You... You look just like him. Erm... Just like my shadow."

* * *

><p>"And I just ran like Hell," Gilbert finished up, telling the group his story. The Axis and Allies all were called to come down to Ludwig and Gilbert's house. Feliciano had begged them to, too scared to leave the German residence, even if Ludwig was at his side. Gilbert had just summed up his run in with Ludwig's shadow, who everyone knew about by now. But the fact that one of the shadows had switched bodies with Gilbert? This scared them.<p>

"...How in the world did this happen?" Arthur knit his eyebrows in wonder, pacing the floor. Alfred's eyes were glued on Dian, whom he had brought with.

"...you know something," Alfred said. Everyone stopped and looked at Dian, who suddenly froze. He never liked being stared at in the first place, and this was ridiculous.

"Wh-What?"

"Well, don't you?" Alfred walked up to the friendly shadow and met him eyes. "You're just like them. You have to know about this."

Dian gulped a bit, looking at the other eyes that stared at him. "Y-Yes, I know how it happened. But PLEASE stop staring. Aiya!" With some awkward clearing throats, everyone let their glance drop a bit, so it wasn't as intense. They trusted Dian enough by now that he'd never turn against them.

"...Each shadow has a certain ability."

Ivan blinked, looking directly at Dian. "Like what?"

Dian tried not to choke up. Having Ivan even look at him always made him nervous. "W-Well..." With a quick clear of the throat, he continued. "Like... A superhero. But only one ability. That shadow... of Ludwig's... He can switch bodies as he pleases, it seems."

"Wait, you said EACH." Francis gave Dian a suspicious eye. "That means it's not JUST Ludwig's other being."

"R-Right." Dan nodded. "Well, let me explain... If I can recall correctly... Francis, yours would have had the ability to get an answer out of anyone with words. Seduction, so to speak, but more hypnotizing." Dian began placing the floor himself, trying to recall each. "As we all know, Kiku's other self can control natural disasters."

Everyone gave a nod, some glancing at Japan. He was no longer in a wheelchair, for he had moved onto crutches. He was getting better with the help he'd been receiving.

"Also," Dian continued, "Arthur, your's is strong, but with magic. A sorcery where books aren't needed. He can see from the shadows." Dian looked at his own shadow and tilted his head. "But you can tell. His silhouette will appear instead of your own shadow." Arthur shuddered at those words, looking at his own shadow. Could they be watching him right now? The Englishman stared down, and Dian peaked at his shadow. "He's not watching. Dian bent over and started circling the floor shadow's right hand. "There's one flaw he has. This would be backwards." Arthur gave a small sigh of relief, sitting down. Dian stood back up, looking at Alfred.

"...And HIM?" Alfred looked slightly worried.

"...He can bring more shadows into this world. That's why more keep coming."

This took a moment to sink in. This meant that the darker Alfred was truly what needed to be rid of. And they all knew that Alfred could never accept him, so this would have to be done the hard way. If there even was another way.

The meeting came to a close with that, but no one left just yet. This was at least a time they should try to relax. Talk to each other without talking about work or this whole shadow business. So, this is a chat Dian sat out on. Alone by the door, he waited until everyone was done laughing and talking. Gilbert was making a mockery of Ludwig, going around and cleaning everything, which everyone couldn't help but to chuckle at, except Feliciano who didn't quite get it. They could tell each other apart now, for Gilbert made his hair as it was in his regular body.

But Dian sat out, making sure he didn't remind anyone of the situation. He only stared at them all. He was envious, really. That they could be like that, while his own kind just wanted to take over, confuse them, cause Hell. It upset-

"Dian?" Dian blinked, looking up and meeting eyes like his own.

"Yao? Why aren't you talking to the others?"

"Well, I wanted to ask..." Yao tilted his head a bit. "You never said your ability... And I want to ask something."

"Yes?"

Yao thought for a moment how to phrase it, then gave a sigh. "...Why are you still here, aru? You said you would vanish when accepted."

Dian blinked. "Huh?"

"Well... I accept you, aru. I know that what happened between Kiku and I... It's true. I wish it hadn't happened, but I accept that it did. He is so strong now. I would have held him back, aru."

"..." Dian sighed, nodding. "It's true that I'm not gone yet. But that's because of my ability." Dian looked over at Ivan. "I was given the chance to be accepted by someone I care about. Only then will I disappear."

"But if they accept you and you disappear, won't they be hurt, aru?" Dian nodded to Yao's question, looking back at him.

"Which means, basically, my ability is only a curse."

"Will you tell?"

Dian looked down for a moment, hesitant. He closed his eyes and shook his head. "No... They will never find out."


	10. The Kidnapping

_**The Kidnapping**_

* * *

><p>Heavy footsteps walked up the decorated path, surrounded by flowers of all sorts. Only a well trained gardener could arrange such delicate plants. But it didn't matter to this shadow. He'd rather see them burned away with the building they lead to. Why HE wanted this man, Ludwig had no clue, but he was apparently the perfect person to fetch him. Especially now that he had Gilbert's body. And it took every muscle in his body to keep still when they fixed his hair to how Gilbert had it, not Ludwig. It drove him crazy now. How could he keep his hair a mess? And his attitude, Ludwig just barely had it down, even though he had at least a week of practice by now. So, with a heavy sigh, Ludwig stood at the doorsteps of the manor, rapping on the door.<p>

The door opened, revealing a rather tired Roderich Edelstein.

"Gilbert?" With a heavy groan, Roderich placed his hands on his hips and stared up at the man. "What on earth could you want? Can't I ever get a day off from you?"

With this all well thought out, "Gilbert" played his act, a wide smirk coming upon his lips. "Yo, Roderich! What, I can't come and see you once in a while?"

"Why can't you be normal and call like everyone else?"

"That wouldn't be fun at all."

Roderich sighed, opening his door more for "Gilbert", adjusting his glasses. "Alright, come in. But I want you gone in an hour."

"Yeah, sure," the shadow said. _This is working out too well_, he thought, walking right on into the manor. He looked around. He remembered seeing this place in dreams, but he never actually stepped foot in it until now. This was a house that held many memories for the real Ludwig. More then he even remembered. It was almost surreal to feel a hard surface when his hand rested on a wooden table. So surreal, he shuddered a bit, dropping his "Gilbert" act to look around. Roderich shut the door and stared at him for a moment.

_Gilbert's acting so strange,_ he though, raising an eyebrow. _Well, stranger then USUAL._ "Is there something you needed?"

"Ah, yes," the shadow said, returning as "Gilbert" and turning to look at Roderich. "I wanted to warn you about something. I'm not sure if Ludwig told you yet."

Roderich blinked for a moment. "Yes. Ludwig." He stepped away for a moment and sat in his chair. "Told me WHAT?"

"These beings. Shadows, they're called."

"Yes. He did call about it. A week and a half ago. Apparently, these shadows think that they can take over our being as countries." Roderich looked up at "Gilbert", staring from above his glasses. "Rather… STUPID, aren't they?"

"Gilbert" flinched, eyeing the Austrian man. But, he had to play this game. "Yes, extremely."

Roderich folded his hands. "So… How is he, anyway? Is he safe?"

"Ludwig's fine," the phony replied. Roderich's eye seemed to twitch a little when "Ludwig" was said. Because, how could anyone forget? Roderich stood and paced over by his window, staring out, his hand hidden behind the curtain.

"That's good. We wouldn't want him hurt, would we now?"

"No, we wouldn't." Slowly pacing forward to the Austrian, he did his best to remain soundless. But Roderich was quick as he spun around, his hidden hand revealed with a shining sword a centimeter away from the fake's neck. Caught by surprise, the fake's eyes widened. He'd been caught in his act.

"Who the hell are you?" Roderich lifted the sword to it just brushed the shadow's neck. "Gilbert always calls Ludwig 'West', not by his actual name. Work on your acting skills, you amateur."

"Amateur? I fooled you-"

"At first!" Roderich did all in his power to not stab, slowing inching his body closer and keeping the sword in place. "And I asked a question. I demand it be answered."

"Suit yourself," came the cruel chuckle, the shadow jolting back and ducking before the sharp blade could pierce him. He ran forward and knocked the Austrian over, pinning him down with his own sword as he snatched it out of his hand and stabbed the collar of Roderich's shirt to keep him down. "You'll find out, Mr. Edelstein. Soon enough." A hand covered the Austrian's mouth and nose, whom began to struggle, trying to get away, but making sure his neck didn't touch that cold blade. He was running out of air, and finally, his eyes fluttered shut. Ludwig removed his hand, allowing him to breathe. "I need you alive," he said to himself, pulling out the sword and tossing it to the side, picking up the unconscious Roderich over his shoulder and leaving the house.

* * *

><p>"Do you have him?"<p>

"Well, obviously, he's only on my shoulder."

"Let me see!" Heat overcame Roderich's face, and he heard a chuckle of pleasure. "Yes, perfect. Now he'll work with us!"

"That damn man is so picky, I don't know who he bloody thinks he is."

"Shut up, Arthur. No one cares what YOU think either."

A snarl was heard from the one called Arthur. Roderich's mind tried to process what was all going on, but all he recalled were unfamiliar red eyes last. It was pitch black now, and he tried to open his eyes.

"I think he's waking," a monotone voice said.

"Quick! Bound him!"

What? Before Roderich could even try to open his eyes and react, strong hands threw him to the ground and he felt his hands being tightened to his back, and glasses we removed from his face. So even if he could open his eyes, he couldn't see well enough. That's not what really ticked him off, though.

"Give me those," a man said, and he heard his glasses drop and smash. If that wasn't enough, an extra crunch came and a cruel chuckle as what seemed to be a foot stepped all over his glasses. Roderich growled, his eyes opening slowly, and finally after so long. He looked around, everything being a blur, but he could make out the familiar boots "Gilbert" wore right at his face.

"Put him to a chair," the voice from before said, and the foot moved as Roderich was picked up and sat into a chair, and rather roughly. Scratchy rope wrapped around him tightly, as if to make sure he didn't escape. Squirming a bit only made the rope tighter, so Roderich gave up and looked around, trying to make out who people were. He knew about the so called "Gilbert", and two more heads of blonde were noticeable, one shorter then the other. One of the blondes wore green, and the other tan with a brown sort of cover. One head of raven black hair was still, and his clothes were a pure white.

"Well, looks like Roderich's ours now." The tan-wearing blonde chuckled, walking up closer, face an inch from his. Roderich could make out blue eyes, and stared into them as harsh as he could. "That stubborn man better work with us, or I'm offing this one."

"Alfred, you murdered several people already today," the other blonde said, rather exasperated. "Take a break."

"But they weren't important at all! Small fry no one cares about. 'Cept some little RUNT managed to run away. Stupid kid, too. He knows he can't run for long." Alfred looked over at the other blonde ,standing and going to Roderich's side. "He kinda looked like ya. If he DID die, that would have been such fun. I could pretend it was YOU. But, sadly, I need you. Even though you're useless. I let you borrow my power and you can't do it right. Yet Kiku could. Something must be wrong with you, Arthur."

The other blonde, called Arthur, growled. "Listen, you-"

"All of you shut the HELL up."

Roderich blinked. That voice…

"I'm sick of your bickering. This is why I don't want to work with you."

"Shuddup already, you ain't the leader. I AM."

"And YOU need ME." This man, blonde again, wearing a more evergreen then the other, came into Roderich's blurred view. "So you have him. Good."

"What do you need this for anyway?" The fake Gilbert had his arms crossed. "He can't be important."

"He is to someone," came the reply. "And if that someone is on our side, we'll be invincible, practically."

"I get it, I get it." Alfred groaned and shoved Roderich forward in the chair. "What do you want with the damn kid?"

"I'm not a kid!" Roderich glared back at Alfred, who kicked over his chair.

"Shut up! Do you KNOW what your position is right now?"

"Alfred." The darker green blonde stepped forward, and Alfred groaned, storming off outside. The raven haired one, Kiku, followed after him. The darker green blonde sat the chair back up, lifting the chin looking into Roderich's features. "So, it's the real thing. Not some fake like us. Perfect."

"Vash…?" Roderich winced a bit, looking up at him.

"Close. You wanted answers, right? Ludwig. I leave that to you." The supposed Vash walked out, leaving Arthur and the fake Gilbert, wait, Ludwig? Roderich was confused.

"Fine," Gilbert's familiar voice had said, though Roderich knew it wasn't him. He looked at Roderich, who didn't look back at all. He only sat there. "We're those shadows the REAL Ludwig told you about."

"…and what do you want with me?" Roderich looked at the doorway, which remained empty.

"We need you to get the real Vash."

Roderich knit his eyebrows. "And you're going to use him to win…"

"Cruel world, isn't it?"

* * *

><p>"We should call Roderich," Gilbert said, looking at his brother. "West, he DOES know about the shadows and stuff, right?"<p>

"Yeah, I called him a while back ago." Ludwig continued to clean the dishes from the morning's breakfast and Feliciano helped to load them into the dishwasher. "But he should know about this, too, now."

"Right." Gilbert nodded, reaching for the phone and calling. And calling. And calling. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. But still no answer. Gilbert looked worried suddenly each time he reached voicemail. Ludwig and Feliciano stared at Gilbert in worry. Roderich always answered his phone the second it rang. "…hey, Roddy. Um, it's Gilbert. It's a really long story on why I sound like West. It's the shadows. Be careful, okay? …Call back soon." With that, Gilbert hung up, staring at the phone. Maybe he was just out, right…?

"…call again in an hour. If he doesn't answer, we'll head over to his house." Ludwig paused on his dishes for a moment to go over to his brother and give him a reassuring pat in the shoulder. "…He's okay."

Gilbert winced. Those were only words to comfort him, and all three of them knew it. Feliciano fiddles with a plate before setting it down gently.

"I need to call Lovino," he said, looking over. "He should know about this, too."

Gilbert gave a nod and held up the phone, his gut upsetting him only more as it gave a pang of even more worry.

* * *

><p><em>"Lovino! Thank God you answered!"<em>

"Of course I answered, why wouldn't I?" Lovino's finger's drummed on the table. Feliciano had just called, for some reason, in a whole worry. Lovino figured WHY, though. "Is it those shadows?"

_"Si. Ah... Well, one of them can switch bodies."_

Lovino blinked. "Huh? Well, yes, you told me this already. Feliciano, I swear, I'm fine. So is Antonio."

_"I just get so worried. Sorry."_

Lovino gave a sigh. "...Look, don't be. Just look out for YOURSELF, okay? You matter, too."

_"Okay... Thank you, Lovino."_

"Of course. Ciao."

_"Ciao."_

With that, Lovino waited until his little brother hung up. It was about a moment before he heard a click, followed by a long tone. Lovino clicked "end" and sighed, setting down his cell and staring out for a moment. It never seemed like he cared about Feliciano, but he really was worried. They were brothers, after all.

"Lovino? Who was that?" Lovino blinked and looked up at Antonio, who stood in the door frame with a worried expression.

"Feliciano. He's worried."

"Is it those shadow things again?"

Lovino nodded. "I keep telling him we're fine, but he gets so worked up." Lovino rolled his eyes, crossing his arms and putting on his uncaring attitude act. "He should worry about himself more."

Antonio couldn't help but to smile. "Don't worry, Lovino." He walked over and sat beside the young man he had raised. "He'll be okay, too."

Lovino looked down and sighed. Antonio was used to seeing Lovino's act, so it never really worked on him much anymore. "I know. I just hope they don't get him, too."

* * *

><p>Elizabeta walked up the beautiful walkway. She couldn't help but to frown a bit, though, for some on the flowers that decorated it had been stepped on. <em>Must be Gilbert<em>, she thought, shaking her head as she knocked on Roderich's door. But when she knocked, the door opened and she blinke

"Roderich?" She looked around, stepping inside. "Roderich, are you here?" Closing the door gently behind her, Elizabeta took a glance around. It was odd for Roderich not to at least greet her. Unless, maybe, he was bathing, but his door wouldn't have been left unlocked, let alone ajar. She looked over and blinked. Roderich's sword? She walke up and felt the cold blade. _Why is it out?_ Looking around on the floor, Elizabeta came across something that made her heart stop. A small fragment of Roderich's shirt. Then, something else caught her attention as a long beep came from the phone. _Voicemail._ Taking the cloth, she picked up the phone and began to listen.

_"…hey, Roddy. Um, it's Gilbert. It's a really long story on why I sound like West. It's the shadows. Be careful, okay? …Call back soon."_

Elizabeta stared at the receiver as the message replied over and over in her head. _That was Gilbert? But he... Shadows?_ She, too, had heard about the shadows. But she had only been told to not trust anyone, and Roderich had told her that a few days ago. And now he was missing. This call... Elizabeta didn't have time to call back, that would be pointless. She wanted to hear it from Gilbert directly.

...At least, that WAS Gilbert talking, right?

* * *

><p>"...Ludwig, he still hasn't called back." Gilbert's foot began tapping. But it wasn't impatiantly. His leg always jittered whenever he was worried about something. Or in this case, someone. He looked over at his younger brother, who had been sitting restlessly in the arm chair close to Gilbert and Feliciano.<p>

"...call him again." Ludwig looked at Feliciano, who nodded and held up the phone for Gilbert. "If he doesn't answer, we'll drive over there as quick as po-" His voice was cut off by a banging on the door. _Deja vu,_ Ludwig thought as he stared at the door.

"Gilbert? Gilbert, are you there? Answer this door immediately!" Gilbert's head perked up in surprise.

"Elizabeta?"

"HOPEFULLY it's her." Ludwig stood and grabbed his gun, tucking it in the back of his pants. Feliciano stiffened and stayed on the couch with Gilbert, who stared at the door. Inching up, Ludwig looked through the peak hole. It LOOKED like her. Ludwig, cautiously, unlocked the door and opened it just a bit, peering to look at her. "Elizabeta?"

"Gilbert?"

"Erm... No, Ludwig." Then he blinked, hand reaching back. "How do you know about that?"

"Roderich's voicemail. I went to visit him today, as usual, and... Well, THIS!" Elizabeta showed Ludwig the cloth. His eyes widened and he reached out to touch it, his hand relaxing a bit. "He wasn't there at all! His sword was out, too. I went to knock and the door was slightly open!" Elizabeta trembled a bit, looking down. "What could have happened to him...? Where could he be...?"

"..." Ludwig opened the door more to allow her in. "Come in. We'll have to make yet another call to the others." With a nod, Elizabeta held the cloth close to her chest at walked in, sitting on a kitchen chair by the living room. Feliciano stood up and went by her, squatting down by her side and resting a hand on hers.

"I'm sure he's okay," Feliciano cooed to her, hugging the girl who he spent most of his childhood with. Elizabeta couldn't help but to smile and hug him back.

"I hope you're right." She shut her eyes and sighed heavily, worried out of her mind. Gilbert looked over at them both and sighed. As Ludwig began to dial for Kiku, he went over to Elizabeta and sat down.

"...I'M Gilbert, Elizabeta." The Hungarian looked over at him and blinked. Looking at the real Ludwig, then back at Gilbert, she knit her eyebrows. As if reading her mind, Gilbert went on. "I'll explain what's going on."

Gilbert told her everything his little brother had told him, Feliciano helping out with whatever details he missed. As they told the story of the white void, Elizabeta listened closely, eyes curious and wide and she clutched onto the cloth she had of Roderich. Now he was missing, and those shadows would pay.


	11. The Neutral

_**The Neutral**_

* * *

><p>"Big brother? Have you heard about the shadows?" Vash blinked and looked up at his little sister, Lili. What was she talking about? It was a strange topic to discuss at dinner. Her wide green eyes stared up at him curiously. "Well? Have you?"<p>

"Shadows? You mean like the ones at are feet?" Vash tilted his head, staring at his own shadow, then back at Lili, who was shaking her head.

"No. The shadows are bad. They hurt people."

"…where did you hear about this from?" Vash knit his eyebrows, worried. If she knew about something so dangerous, then it may be true and they could hurt her.

"Well… We got a call earlier," Lili admitted. "You were out, so I answered it. It was Miss Elizabeta. She said Mister Roderich went missing."

_Roderich's missing?_ Vash blinked. It was a name he hadn't heard in a while, but it still worried him. Greatly, in fact. "What else did she say?"

"To call her back. She said she'll say more." Lili looked down. "Big brother, are you mad at me for answering that call?"

Vash blinked, shaking his head. "N-No! Not at all! I'm glad you answered it and told me." Lili seemed to relax and smile a bit, happy her brother was, too. "I'll call back right after dinner."

"Are you sure? It seemed urgent. And with Mister Roderich missing, well, that just adds on, doesn't it?" Lili had grown much since Vash first found her.

"…I'm about done, anyway," Vash finally said, giving in. He couldn't say no to that face. So, standing from his meal, he went to the phone and paused when there was no answer. "Lili, which phone did she use?"

"Oh! She called from Ludwig's house. She may still be there."

"Perhaps." With a nod, he dialed the number and it rang. And rang. And rang.

"_Hallo?"_

"Ah, Ludwig? Elizabeta called from your number."

"_Ah, yes. Lili answered. Well, she's busy right now with Feliciano. Do you mind?"_

"Not at all. I just want to know what's going on."

"_I figured so."_

As Ludwig starting to explain what was going on, Vash leaned against the table, nodding to what he heard, even though he knew Ludwig couldn't see him doing so. Processing the information about the shadows through his head after a moment, Vash gave a sigh. "Alright. I'll be joining the next meeting, then, to know more. Thank you." With that, Vash hung up and went back to his dinner. But he didn't feel like eating anymore. Lili took notice of this and stood.

"I'll clean up, okay?"

Vash looked up and blinked. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, don't worry."

"…alright." Vash nodded and stood, going over into the living room and taking a seat. He was worried they might get Lili, yes, but something else bugged him. And it didn't quite make sense. What could they want with Roderich?

* * *

><p>"You know you're a fool to think that he'd come after me, right?" Roderich sat in his chair still, bound there. He'd spent a night there by now, and things started to lack sense. He looked at the fake Vash, who just stared at him. "He cares nothing for me any longer."<p>

"It you who's rather daft," Vash snapped back, lifting an eyebrow. "I know about all that. I've seen his dreams."

Roderich blinked. "You can see his dreams?"

"We ALL can see the dreams of whom we were made from." Vash crossed his arms. "Which means I know about Lili as well."

The Austrian's eyes widened. "You won't lay a HAND on her!"

"No, I won't. That would be too cruel of me." Vash rolled his eyes. "Do you think I care at all? This is MY gain I want."

" I swear, if you touch her-"

"I don't NEED to touch her to get to him. Simply put, Edelstein, as long as he feels she's in danger, he'll come to us and make sure no harm comes upon her. He'd even JOIN for her protection."

"You're wicked," Roderich spat, literally, at Vash, hitting him in the side of the face. Vash growled and wiped it away, pushing the chair down to the floor.

"You're pretty bold for a prisoner," he snapped, giving the chair a kick. Pulling him back up by his hair, Vash sat him upright and leaned forward. "I'll teach you to be better behaved." Roderich wanted to scream and shout, and he would have if something hadn't suddenly hit him. Like a bullet. No, a series of bullets hitting him. He screamed in agony as his memories were played with, forcing old images into his vision, crystal clear despite his lack of spectacles. The wars, the injuries, his heart breaking over and over. Each time the memories got worse and worse, faster and faster. So fast, a headache started forming. But that would be nothing compared to what his memories gave him. Finally, he screamed.

"ENOUGH!" Vash, being kind for once, removed his hand and the memories faded back. Roderich's eyes were wide, then focused on Vash. "What the HELL was that?"

"You've heard of abilities from Alfred just earlier. That was mine. THAT'S how Vash will join us." With a curt nod, Vash turned his back on the man and left, leaving Roderich to recall each of those painful memories alone. He hoped they were all okay.

* * *

><p>Ivan sat nervously in the meeting room. This had become a world conference, to inform everyone who didn't know about the shadows. It had gotten serious enough to drag everyone into it. To warn everyone. Ivan had already made sure that his sisters knew. Figuring it was for the best, he told Toris, Eduard, and Raivis. Though, at the time, it was more of a scare tactic. But it got serious enough to the point where he had to admit that he was afraid of the shadows as well. Every nation was there now. All but one. The seat where Roderich would sit was empty, and it confused a lot of people. Once everyone was seated, Alfred stood up and cleared his throat, and the attention was turned to him.<p>

"Alright, as most of you know, there have been these shadows going around. But for those of you who don't, we'll go over it." Alfred seemed so confident as he spoke about it all, even when he told his own dream. Before, he was such a wreck, and now he was as calm as he could be. Ivan appreciated that about Alfred, honestly. As everyone was hearing the story, some people remained as serious as they could, while others looked like they weren't too sure what to think.

Ivan looked over at his sisters to see what they thought, and they wore the exact same faces when Ivan told him. Yekaterina seemed worried, a hand close to her abnormally large chest. Why Ivan decided to ALWAYS take note of that, he didn't really know. As for Natalia, her face was emotionless, but she did have a small shake to her, looking down at her fiddling hands. He knit his eyebrows in worry for both of them. He loved his sisters dearly and wanted no harm to come to them.

He looked over to the Baltic States, and as usual, Raivis looked terrified. On any other occasion, this would have been pleasing. But currently, he knew how he felt, probably. It was terrifying to imagine what his own shadow might be. Considering he was a dangerous person already, Ivan worried about the darker things that may be inside him that he long forgot. Eduard remained as calm as he could, but there was obviously fear in his eyes. As for Toris, his eyebrows were knit. Ivan couldn't help but to glare a bit as he noticed Feliks was sitting right beside him, resting a hand on his leg to comfort him the best he could.

Ivan tried his best to ignore the two as he turned to look at Alfred, who was calling Dian in. Dian, who had grown suddenly shy, shuffled his way in with the help of Alfred giving him a bit of a push. The friendly shadow looked around at all the faces with a gulp, giving a small wave.

"U-Uh… I'm Dian… I came to Alfred on the day I was made… I didn't like the other's cruel intentions… I couldn't possibly join them." Dian shifted awkwardly, knowing he had to say more. He looked around and caught Ivan's glance and froze. Ivan never quite understood why, but whenever Dian looked Ivan in the eyes, he'd freeze completely and go silent. Ivan figured, though, it was because he was intimidating. Which was upsetting, because he actually liked Dian like a good friend. With a small smile, he snuck a wave at Dian, who gulped and nodded as a wave back, then looked around again, speaking once again about the shadows and what they could do. When Arthur's shadow was mentioned, the Englishman glanced at his shadow and sighed in relief. Ivan waited patiently for it all to be done.

"Any questions?" Alfred looked around the room. Of course everyone had questions, but they were trying to process everything.

"Wait," Dian said. "There's something else."

"Huh?" Alfred looked at Dian and blinked. "What?"

Ivan cocked an eyebrow. Dian didn't miss anything, so Ivan thought. _He listed everything, didn't he?_ Dian sighed and looked at all the nations. "… can sense that there's one more."

Everyone started to stir and look around. Another? But who? Ivan looked around and noticed Vash, who was sliding down in his chair. Dian looked around and walked up behind him, not even bothering to look him in the eye.

"It's yours. Did you have the dream?"

"…yes." Vash stood in his chair quickly, nearly knocking Dian back to the wall. "But I didn't know at the time! I, too, only learned recently."

"You were on the phone with me, Vash," Ludwig called out, standing. "You didn't say anything?"

"I didn't remember!"

"Enough!" Now Ivan stood from his chair, looking at everyone. "Does it matter what happened? The point is that there is another one of them, and a strong one at that!" Dian almost sighed in relief as the Russian spoke what was on his mind. Vash sat down as Ivan did, everyone now dead silent. Ludwig remained standing and then looked at Dian.

"What can he do?"

Dian looked at Vash still. "He can bring back the most horrible memories from your mind with the simple touch of his hand to your head."

"…alright." Ludwig sat back down, and Alfred began to speak again.

"Everyone, if you have that dream, I want you to call me. Or call me when you encounter one of those shadows. I've passed out my number to you before, so keep it close to you. Anymore questions?" When some shook their heads and no sounds were made, Alfred nodded. "In that case, meeting dismissed. Everyone, please be safe."

* * *

><p>Vash sat on his couch at home, Lili making tea for the two. It was a few hours after the meeting and they got back home as fast as they could. He had a shadow, and that wasn't good. That shadow would know about Lili, and could possibly harm her. Vash tapped his fingers against the gun on the table in front of him now. As the tea came, Lili waited to set it down until Vash had secured the gun to his back. With a small, worried frown, Lili set down the hot tea and sat beside her brother, staring into her cup.<p>

_Please,_ she pleaded in her head. _Keep brother safe._


	12. The Families

_**The Families**_

"How is our prisoner?" Alfred sat calmly, feet up on the table.

"He's still alive, if that's what you mean." Ludwig replied, standing at the door like a guard.

"You plan on getting your body back any time soon?" Alfred smirked, letting his feet drop to the ground as he sat up right. "I think it looks better then your real ugly mug. So much for pure race, Red Eyes. Should get that checked out, shouldn't you?" Ludwig glared at the American.

_This prick_, he thought, much to Arthur's humor who knew just what he was thinking.

"How about your insanity, Alfred?" Arthur looked over at him with a smirk playing on his lips. "Truly you don't think that you're the best, do you?"

Alfred growled through his teeth, Kiku's hand immediately resting on the hilt of his sword. But before he could take action, Alfred raised a hand to stop him. "No, Kiku, it's cool. Let the idiots play their little fun game."

"…I understand." Kiku let his hand stop back to his side, taking his relaxed position again, straight face and all. Arthur rolled his eyes and looked over at Vash, who was organizing their whole plan on a white board.

"You almost done over there?" The Englishman asked, receiving a growl from the Swiss man.

"Be patient, Kirkland," he snapped, throwing a pen in his direction, to which Arthur simply ducked. "I'm almost finished!"

"Yes, yes, Mr. Temper," Arthur said, rolling his eyes. "Bloody hell, I thought you were a NEUTRAL."

Alfred and Ludwig gave little snickers, only irritating Vash more, who spun around and bared his teeth. "Do you WANT this done?"

"Whatever," Alfred chuckled, standing up. "Just get the work done in time. We've got three new guys who need to know the plan."

"Three?" Ludwig looked over at their leader, cocking an eyebrow. "You never told us that."

"Yeah, you only said we had someone new." Arthur looked at Alfred as well. "You never mentioned the amount of people."

Alfred gave a cruel chuckle and shrugged. "Surprise!" Laughing at the rather unfunny gesture, Alfred held his stomach as his peers only looked at one another in agreement of his oddness and, possibly, his stupidity. Shaking his head and calming down, the American looked over at Kiku and waved. "Bring the three in here, would you? They should be ready now."

"Yes." The man left with a bow to gather the new shadows. As he did, Vash finally capped his pen and set it down.

"There, finished. Happy?"

"Indeed," Alfred replied, looking over the plot put down onto the board. He smirked. Vash hadn't missed a beat. "Perfect. Good, good. Ludwig!" Alfred's head spun over to him. "Bring in Mr. Edelstein. He can be untied. By now, he's far too weak to fight. And if he does fight back, you know what to do."

"Of course," Ludwig said, leaving to fetch the prisoner. Alfred kept by the whiteboard as Vash took a seat by Arthur.

Kiku walked back in, now, with the three new faces. Two males, one female. Alfred couldn't help but to lick his lips deliciously as they walked in.

"Wonderful," Alfred hummed as Kiku took a seat across from Vash once he placed chairs behind the three. "At last, you three get to know. Take a seat, go on." The three sat down at once, keeping their eyes on Alfred. He smirked and stood straight. "Alright. Here's the plan."

"It was so scary!"

"Terrifying!"

"…yeah."

Yao bit his lip as his children stood at his door. "A-Alright, alright. Did you call Alfred, aru?"

The three looked at each other. Yong Soo shook his head first to answer them all. "N-No, we were too freaked out."

"Yeah," Mei said after, tugging at a strand of her hair. "W-We're sorry."

"No, no, don't be," Yao said, waving the three in his house, all three walking in. "I'll call, aru. It will be faster, and less irritating." He waited for the three to sit down before grabbing the phone with a worried sigh and dialing Alfred's number. As Yao talked to Alfred about it, the three others looked at one another.

"...S-So, does this mean that-"

"We're officially involved?" Yong Soo nodded at Mei. "Yeah, seems so."

Mei looked down. "...I don't ever want to be like my shadow." She fiddled with her skirt, knitting her eyebrows. "I know that no one really does, but... Dian came out really nice. Why?"

"Because, it's simple," Xiao Chun said, looking at his sister. "Yao has only bad memories. Not bad traits. And if he has them, he's aware of it."

"Is it because Aniki's old?" Mei and Xiao Chun both stared at Yong Soo, who just blinked. "...WHAT? It was an honest question!"

"You could have rephrased it," Mei said, shaking her head. "No, I don't think it's because he's old."

"It's because he's WISE," Xiao Chun restated.

"...so it IS because he's old!"

Yao groaned and whapped him over the head. "Shut up, I am on the phone, aru! Sorry, Alfred. Anyway." He went back to his conversation as Yong Soo rubbed the back of his head, his two siblings giggling at him.

"Looks like you could be wiser yourself," Mei said teasingly.

"Whatever," Yong Soo said with a whimper. "Ow, that really hurt."

Xiao Chun went back to a straight face, looking at him. "That won't be anything compared to what we will experience soon."

The two others looked down to the ground. Xiao Chun was right, in fact. They were all silent and Yao hung up the phone and looked at them. Eyebrows knit, he kisses each of their heads.

"Everything is going to be alright," he cooed to them, allowing them to curl up into his arms and chest. With a sigh, he looked down. He knew his own shadow was on their side, but if he ever came across his own children's shadows? He wouldn't have the heart to do anything.

Alfred gave a hefty sigh, running fingers through his hair. He quickly wrote down the names of the three nations and stared at the sheet. It contained all the shadows that were there and against them. Himself, Kiku, Arthur, Ludwig, Vash. And now, Yong Soo, Mei, and Xian Chun. between Arthur and Ludwig, Francis' names was crossed out with a fine line. As for Dian, his name wasn't there. Alfred didn't really consider Dian to be one of them. He wasn't bad at all. Speaking of, Alfred lifted his head from the sheet of paper to look over at Dian, who was sitting on the couch, curled up a bit. He had asked Dian what was wrong, but the answer was always "It's personal." Personal how, though? And he had never said what his own ability was. But, that wasn't important, he supposed. Alfred walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder. Dian jolted and looked up at him.

"Yes?" He stared up, blinking curiously.

"We have three new shadows around. Can you look into it?"

"Three?" Dian knit his eyebrows, looking down. "Who?"

"Yong Soo, Mei, and Xiao Chun."

Dian shuddered. "Those three?" With a sigh, Dian closed his eyes. "...They're all like one. That's all I can pick up right now. They're really new."

"Alright..." Alfred sat in his favorite recliner chair and nodded. "Tell me more when you find out, okay?"

"Can do," Dian said warily, staring back at the floor.

Alfred's fingers fidgeted about. He stared at the blank screen of the television, as if he'd turn it on just by staring. But, of course, that was ridiculous. He should call Arthur and tell him, but it'd be pointless, since Arthur was already coming over to check on him. But three? Alfred gave a heafty sigh, combing fingers through his hair. _Looks like another meeting_, he thought, recalling the world conference that took place only about two weeks ago. They needed a better was to communicate. While Alfred would love to suggest a website, there was too much of a risk, with internet hackers and all. Maybe he could ask Kiku about making some sort of device that all the nations could have, so one could post an update, like how Facebook worked. But, of course, only those with the devices would know. It was possible, yes. Maybe it would be easier for an app? But not every country had up to date phones. Alfred kept thinking about, even when the doorbell rang.

"Coming!" Matthew called out, headed to the door. "Alfred, why couldn't you answer it?"

"Huh?" Alfred blinked, looking over at his brother. "Sorry, what?"

"Nothing, nothing." With a sigh, Matthew opened the door. "Hey, Arthur."

"Hello," he said back, shaking off his umbrella. "You should really be more cautious when answering the door, you know."

"Er, right, sorry." Matthew rubbed the back of his head. "Come in. Alfred's off zoning on the couch."

"I was?" Alfred blinked, tilting his head.

"Yeah, the doorbell DID ring."

"Oh! I was just thinking."

"About?" Arthur placed his umbrella by the door, Matthew shutting it with the twist of a lock.

"A better way to communicate," Alfred replied, Dian's head perking curiously. "I just got news about the shadows. Somethin' big. I thought it'd be better if we had somethin' where I could just type it up and send it to everyone."

"Hmm..." Arthur gave a nod as he removed his raincoat, setting it on the backside of a chair. Since, of course, Alfred and Matthew didn't have a coat rack. Why, he didn't understand. They were so useful. "I suppose we could give that a try, yes. Public websites would be no good, so what did you have in mind."

"An app?"

"Well, I suppose. But we're not all up to date on cell phones."

"I know, I'm thinking about it." Alfred stood up, going to the kitchen. "What kinda tea do you want?"

"U-Uh, Earl Grey please." Arthur went over by him, leaning against the counter. "So, about the shadows?"

"Oh, right, duh." Alfred had sort of tried to keep it off his mind as he heated up water. With a sigh, Alfred's fingers drummed along the counter. "There's three new shadows."

Arthur blinked, his eyes widening. "THREE?"

"What?" Matthew poked his head in, having heard from the other room. "Please, Alfred, tell me you're kidding."

"I wish," Alfred said, looking at his little brother. "I just got a call from Yao. The three are Yong Soo, Mei, and Xiao Chun."

"Aw, great," Matthew groaned, crossing his arms. "Masters of martial arts. We're SCREWED!"

"Not exactly," Arthur cut in, looking at the Canadian. "Think about this. We're still greater in numbers. It's not like it's the real three nations."

"True." Matthew sighed, hopping up on the counter to sit. "But... Who knows what they could do?"

"We could ask Dian," Arthur stated. "Wouldn't he know?"

"Not yet," Alfred said. "I knows that they're here. He can sense it. But he can't tell what the powers are."

"That's helpful," replied a sarcastic Matthew. "I'd like to know HOW he can tell what their abilities are."

"Matthew, could you be any LOUDER?" Arthur gave him a bit of a glare. "You know if Dian hears you, he'll only be MORE down in the gutter."

"If you haven't noticed, NONE of us are doing to well, ARTHUR," Matthew snapped. "Have you forgotten already what's happened thus far? Or is it all unimportant?"

Arthur seemed taken aback for a moment. Quickly regaining his voice to speak, Arthur only got louder. "Matthew, do you honestly think for a SECOND that I've forgotten it all? It's hard to forget ANYTHING happening!"

"GUYS!" Matthew and Arthur quickly whipped their heads to look at Alfred, who was probably just as pissed as them both. "I'm not happy with it either, but if we keep up this arguing among ourselves, we won't be able to get rid of them! And it might happen again!"

"For YOUR information, Alfred," Matthew hissed, getting down from the counter and as close to Alfred's face as he could. "It's YOU who just can't accept anything and end it all!"

"Matthew. Can YOU accept what happened to you? Because I sure as Hell can't! Something with MY face did that to you, and I won't accept it."

"But it WASN'T you!" Matthew was yelling by now, and in the other room, Dian cringed. "You're just being stupid! Yes, as a matter of fact, while I don't LIKE it, I accept what happened! I was at the wrong place at the wrong time! I was used to scare you all! And you know WHAT? I. ACCEPT. IT." Backing up from his shock stricken brother, Matthew headed to his room in an angry march. Arthur bit his lip, looking at Alfred. He just stood there.

"...Alfred?" Arthur lightly touched his shoulder, who brushed it away.

"Your tea is ready," Alfred said weakly, headed to the door. "I've got my phone." Flipping the collar of his jacket up, head unlocked to door and opened it. "Lock it behind me."

"...Alfred, please." Arthur headed to Alfred, holding the door open. But Alfred didn't say anything back. He only walked out into the damp air, the rain having just cleared up to reveal the night. "Alfred, get back here! ALFRED!" Watching as he walked off, Arthur groaned, slamming the door shut. But he stayed outside, sitting at the stairs, where he'd wait until Alfred came back.

_Honestly, Alfred,_ he thought to himself. _Can't you just be happy again...?_

_"Don't worry about it, Matthew. I'll come pick you up, alright?"_

"Okay, papa," Matthew said, hugging his knees. "I just... I need to stay away from here for a while."

_"Alright. I'll be there soon."_

"Thank you."

_"No need to thank me. Au revoir, Matthew."_

"Au revoir, papa." Matthew hung up the phone, setting it beside him on the bed. After venting to Francis, things seemed to be much clearer in his head. He was mad at himself for yelling at Alfred, but he meant what he said, too. Everyone was so under pressure here, he needed a break from it. Matthew looked at the nean green numbers on his clock. I realized it was late, but Francis was forgiving in the end. Grabbing his backpack, he grabbed some clothes the whatever else he'd need while he was gone. _It's just a few days,_ Matthew thought, staring into the bag. _Alfred will be fine. Dian's here, after all._ It mad him feel a little better that his brother wouldn't be alone. But... Matthew sighed, standing and putting the backpack on as he slipped on a pair of shoes. _Maybe I shouldn't have said it like that... _Matthew stared down at his feet, not wanting to move. Alfred was way too unstable right now. Could he really just leave him like that? _...Oh, nonsense, Matthew. NONSENSE. Arthur can stay here, after all._ Thinking all was better now, Matthew came out of his room and headed to the door, blinked. _It's unlocked..._ Matthew opened the door and looked down. There Arthur sat, on the steps of the house.

"Arthur?"

Arthur jumped, quickly wiping his face and looking up at the younger nation. "O-Oh, Matthew. Where are you going?"

"Um... Francis is coming to pick me up... I'll be staying with him for a few days."

"Oh." Arthur looked to the ground. "Shouldn't you wait for Alfred? To at least tell him and say goodbye?"

"...what? 'Wait'?" Matthew blinked. "He's not here?"

"He left a while ago," Arthur explained. "I'll tell him you left, so he won't worry."

"Uh.. O-Okay." Matthew looked at the ground. That was his fault, wasn't it? With yet another sign, Matthew rested against the door, not uttering another word until, a few moments later, the car came with Francis at the driver's seat. "Guess I'm going."

"Be safe," Arthur said, standing and hugging him.

"I will," Matthew promised, hugging him back. With their goodbyes said, Matthew went off to the car and climbed in, setting his backpack by his feet.

"No Alfred?" Francis pulled out with a wave to Arthur, driving back on the road to get to his home.

"No," Matthew said, resting his head against the window. "I hope he's alright... I said some mean things."

"He'll be fine," Francis reassured, resting a hand on Matthew's knee. "I'm sure of it."

"...thank you, papa." Matthew gave a small smile and Francis patted his knee, then returned his hand to the wheel.


	13. The Night

_**The Night**_

* * *

><p>Dian remained curled up on the couch. He hadn't said a word, but he heard everything that was said. Matthew's harsh words, Arthur's pleads, Alfred's sighs… Dian finally stood up and went to the phone, looking for a number. Any number. But there was no one who would listen to him, was there? And if he left, Arthur would be alone until Alfred came back. He'd call Yao, but he was busy with the three other nations now. Only one name rang in his head, and it was worth a shot.<p>

He took the phone and dialed for Ivan.

But halfway through the ringing, it seemed pointless. Not like Ivan would care. They weren't even really that CLOSE. _Stupid idea,_ Dian thought. _SO stupid, Dian. WHY?_ As bad as he wanted to, Dian couldn't hang up. Hopefully someone else would answer. Toris, maybe. Raivis, Eduard, Natalia, ANYONE but Ivan.

"_Alfred? It's very late, do you know that? Too early for me, but way late for you."_

"Eep!"

"…_Dian?"_

"Er, y-yes. Um, no. I mean!" Dian bit his lip, trying to get his words straight. "I mean yes. It's me."

"_Did something happen?"_

"Um… Well, yes. Kinda. It's, ah… Tension here. Matthew and Alfred had a fight. Matthew just left with Francis to stay a few days at his house."

"_Oh. I see, I get it. Yes. Where's Alfred?"_

"He left, too. But he'll be back. Arthur came over and he's waiting outside, I think. That's what it seemed like. O-Oh! There's also news about the shadows."

"_The shadows can wait. Do you need somewhere else to stay for a while?"_

"…HUH?"

"_You sound stressed out."_

"Oh, well, um, yes. But you don't have to come over or anything! I'm fine!"

"_Are you sure?"_

"…Yeah, I'm sure. Honest."

"…_alright, then. Do you want to talk?"_

"I-If it's not to much trouble… You're probably tired and all."

"_I don't mind. Sleep can wait."_

With a small smile, Dian gave a nod. Then blinked. Duh, on the phone. "Thank you very much." As Dian began to tell everything that happened from the beginning, making sure to include the news about the three shadows, Ivan listened intently. He seemed determind to help out the friendly shadow, for which he didn't quite know why. But he felt they had a connection. Both knowing what it was like to not feel like they fit in right. To feel alone and to want something more. _Yes,_ Ivan thought. _That is most certainly something we have in common..._ But how he knew Dian longed for something? There was always this look in his eyes; hungry for someone. Ivan had that same look before. And, personally, he still gave that same look at Toris. But now, it wasn't as possisive as it was to just want them around.

"And that's all, really," Dian finally ended. Ivan blinked out of his temperary daydream.

_"A-Ah. Yes. I'm sorry you had to listen to all of that, Dian... Are you sure you don't want to come over for a day?"_

"Well..." Dian gave it a thought. He didn't want to get to close to Ivan. Somethings already hurt too much. "...No thank you, Ivan. I just needed someone to talk to. Thank you very much, though."

_"Of course. If you ever need me again, call."_

"Ah, yes! Thank you! Sorry, um, would it be good night, still?" A chuckle came from the other side of the line.

_"Yes, yes. That will work. Sleep well, Dian."_

"Sleep well." With a smile, Dian hung up the phone when he heard a long beep from Ivan's side. It was good to get things off his chest. But something hurt more inside him. He wish he could tell Ivan much more then what was said tonight. Oh, so much more.

* * *

><p>Arthur held his knees tight. Alfred had been gone for a few hours now, and not only was Arthur growing even more worried, but he almost began to fall asleep. He probably would, too, if he wasn't so worried. <em>I can hold out,<em> Arthur thought. _I have to. For Alfred._ Standing and stretching quick, he stared down the road, left and right, to see if he could spot Alfred. But, with no luck, he sat back down and sighed.

_This whole mess is nonsense,_ Arthur thought angrily. _Matthew is only slightly right. Alfred does have to accept it... I have to accept it, too. I understand that it's hard. I can never forgive those old days. Can I? The days I'd leave Alfred at home for so long. _Burrying his head in his knees a bit, Arthur kept his eyes on the ground, hugging his legs tight. _I doubt any of us can really accept all of what we are. It's impossible, practically. Well, then again, Francis accepted it quickly. So quickly, his shadow only existed in that realm... I wonder whatever happened to it, anyway...?_ With that thought in his head, Arthur perked up a bit, trying to keep active.

_I have to stay awake,_ he thought, smacking himself a bit. _Alfred's not home yet, I have to stay awake for him. Blast all..._ With a yawn, Arthur rest his head on the wall, curling up a bit. _I must deserve this... Alfred always waited for me to come home... So I guess it's only fair that it's my turn..._ Arthur eyes fluttered shut, unable to keep them open anymore. _He must've been just as worried as I am now... I'm sorry, Alfred. I can never forgive myself for it, but... Just come home..._

* * *

><p>"GYAHHHHH!" Arthur fell over from his chair and clutched his head. "NO! I WON'T ALLOW THIS!" Panting from his little trip to spy on his maker, Arthur had recieved news that he wouldn't admit to. His scream had reached the ear of Alfred, who stood in his doorway.<p>

"The Hell are you shouting about?" With arms folded, Alfred walked up to the Englishman. "Baby have a nightmare?"

"Shut your yap!" Arthur looked up at his leader. He seemed so worn out, so dead. Alfred blinked, reaching out a hand to touch Arthur's forehead. It was slowly vanishing, along with the rest of him.

"Arthur... Are you-"

"NO, you bloody idiot!" Arthur hacked a loud cough, gripping his own throat. "This isn't DYING or anything."

Alfred gave a cruel smirk. "Even in your death, you're sarcastic."

"Oh, so NOW he gets it." Coming to a shakey stand, the Brit, stared at the man he truly hated. "You don't have a spy anymore."

"I can get a NEW one." Alfred pushed Arthur into the wall, pinning him there. "For your dying information, I'll be taking that little island for my OWN now. As you tried to take me long ago." Instead of the snap that Alfred expected, Arthur only smiled kindly, looking directly in the eye of his enemy.

"Thank you," he said. "I suppose it's what I deserve. After all these years. Just be safe from now on without me. Alfred, know that I..." With a last breath of air, Arthur had vanished completely. Alfred's hands went flat against the wall now, and he could only blink. With an angry glare in his eye, he stormed out of the room and banged on each door.

"WAKE UP! GET YOUR SORRY ASSES OUT! NOW!" Thrashing down the hall, he went into the main room, groggy and sleepy heads poking out of their rooms.

"What was that scream?" Mei asked. "It sounded like Arthur."

"Way to rile up the prisoner," Ludwig added, shaking his head. "Alfred, what the Hell happened?"

Slowly, they all gathered into the main room. Ludwig looked confused as Hell, along with the three new guys. Vash and Kiku seemed fairly calm, but there was obviously curiosity boiling up inside. Alfred stood before them, hands stuffed into his jacket. He was probably at his most dangerous now. He looked at his fellow shadows. "Xian Chun, you're the new spy."

"Huh?" Xian Chun blinked. "Does that mean-"

"Arthur can no longer do that job. Everyone, back to your beds."

With lack of information, Vash knit his eyebrows. "Yes, but-"

"GO BACK TO YOUR BEDS!" With that, everyone decided it was best not to argue and they did as they were ordered. Alfred stayed put, though, then with a wide smirk, he headed to the door. _That damn Arthur, accepting that part of him. He'll have Hell to pay._

* * *

><p>Alfred has started heading back home, finally. He could barely get those words out of his head that Matthew shouted at him. Matthew was right. All he had to do was accept and they'd vanish, disappear. And his shadow was the wone that brought even more shadows into the real world. But it was so hard to accept someone as wicked as he was. And to accept it as a part of himself? Alfred just couldn't. He just had to find another way to get rid of him. But they could roam freely through light, right? Alfred had only seen them in the dark. But they came from that white void, which was pretty much all light. Or was it so dark...? Alfred shook away his silly thoughts, Matthew's angry face coming back. He couldn't help but to wince when it did. Matthew had never gotten so angry before. Things would be awkward when he ot home, unless Matthew was in his bedroom and sound asleep.<p>

Then there was Arthur to worry about. He'd probably get a huge scolding when he got back home, saying about how he should be careful. The shadows were about. They could have kidnapped him like they did Roderich. But it would always end the same whenever Arthur woudl rant at Alfred. He'd say he was just so worried, and he was glad Alfred was safe. It never failed, really. Alfred made sure of it. And if it didn't happen, Alfred would always make up for it by saying he was sorry. Arthur was always so soft on him these days.

Alfred finally got home, looking up at his estate. With a shiver, he walked forward, but paused. Looks like no lecture today, for there was a sleeping Arthur, curled up beside the door. Alfred smiled, opening the door and picking up the sound asleep man. Making sure not to stir him awake, Alfred shut the door lightly and locked it, carrying Arthur to his own bedroom. The guest room was taken up by Dian ever since he arrived there. Matthew's door was shut, so Alfred figured he was asleep. Hopefully, they could make up in the morning.

With a smile, Alfred lay Arthur down and covered him up in the warm sheets. The American sat beside the bed, staring at the one who raised him. Arthur probably did this all the time when Alfred was younger. Though, he could faintly recall waking up, his tiny body wiggled up into Arthur's arms. He chuckled at the old memories. They were good to have, especially during these times. But a yawn overcame him and he rested his head beside Arthur's. Slipping the rest of his body on the bed, Alfred began to drift into a deep sleep.

It was probably the most peaceful dream he had in a long, long time.


	14. The Fright

_**The Fright**_

* * *

><p>Xiao Chun stared up at his ceiling. He'd been made the new spy since last week, but was that really a good choice? Surely someone else would have been much better at the task, yes? But, he supposed, it was worth a shot. He had his first mission today, then. With a stand, Xiao Chun stripped away the clothes on his body into something warmer. This was for his mission was to be in Switzerland, and it was brutally cold there at this time of year. Rather, any time of year, he guessed. He didn't have the ability to take over shadows like Arthur had, so he would have to travel. Walking out of his room, he took a glance around. Everyone seemed to either be fast asleep or out of their little headquarters. He knew, for a fact, that Alfred was torturing the prisoner. It was a little hard NOT to hear the real Roderich's shouts to stop as Alfred tried to get as much information out of him as he could. Vash was probably in there as well, pulling forward the most painful memories he could. But to Xiao Chun, this was a normal day. The only thing different was that only his two siblings would have to try and sleep through it, while he himself had a job to take care of.<p>

With that last scream of "no" ringing in his ears, Xiao Chun left the place he slept in, passing their hell of a guard, Ludwig, along the way. That had been his official job, now, unless his brute strength was needed. Lately, his last big mission was capturing Roderich for Vash's delight. Which, today, his mission was related to it all. Personally, Xiao Chun just wanted to get it all over with, but he had to have patience. Shaking thoughts from his head, he bounded off to the front door, turned the knob, and there he was. Snow swirled around his feet as he shut the door to the headquarters. But here in Switzerland, it appeared as just an entrance to some sort of apartment, which lead into a busy street. Well, busy-ish.

There headquarters did not have an official location, though. For Gilbert has entered from an ally in Germany. Xiao Chun remembered the little miracle placed upon there headquarters. At least, hearing about it. When Arthur was around, he had made it so that there was an entrance and exit for their headquarters in every country. A curse or spell of sorts. Xiao Chun, of course, only cared that his job was being done. He, like Alfred, didn't care much for Arthur. He had the memories of being taken away from his family. And it was Arthur's fault. So, why should Xiao Chun care if he was dead now? These memories ran through his head as he approached the large estate. The real Vash's home, where he was to snoop around. No one was home, he could tell, for the car was gone. And Vash never left without bringing Lily. That was practically a rule, it seemed. Especially now that Vash knew Roderich was missing, captured by the shadows.

But today's mission was not to kidnap, but to use a scare tactic and threaten Lily's life. Xiao Chun quickly looked around to make sure no one was around. With the clear, Xiao Chun practically disappeared at the speed he was going. Within a second, he was inside. Speed was certainly a weapon for the job, if going fast enough and knowing where you were. Xiao Chun now stood in Lily's room, taking a look around. It was defiantly a girl's room, telling by all the lace and pink. The walls were undecorated, which was perfect. Eyes shifting to the closet, Xiao Chun peeked inside. Dresses and some uniforms hung. Perfect, still. Xiao Chun grabbed a dress from a hanger and _RRRRRRRRIP!_ He /tore that dress into pieces. From what he'd heard from Roderich, Lily loved her dresses. And what better then to tear one, he had thought. That wouldn't be enough, though. While it was sick, Xiao Chun pulled out a small jar. Blood. He needed be careful as he dipped his fingers in and wrote on the wall. It wasn't his own blood, nor an animal's. It was Alfred's sick and twisted idea in the first place.

"_Roderich just bleeds so much lately,"_ Alfred had said to him. _"Better not waste it!"_

Xiao Chun, personally, was disgusted by the idea. But whatever the boss said, went. So, with blood red written on the wall, he dirzzled some onto the torn fabrics that were once a dress as, and put away the jar. His job was done, but now he had to wait. It seemed he need not wait for long, for the second half of his job was finished, the door slammed. He flashed into the air vent above, peeking through to see, but all he heard were sounds. Voices of Lily and Vash talking.

"Should I but the groceries away, brother?"

"No, I got it. Change into new clothes, we'll be doing some practice today. So your uniform."

"Alright."

Excellent. Xiao Chun waited in the vent, watching. Lily walked into the room and stopped dead at the door with a loud shreik. Running footsteps quickly followed.

"What is it?" Vash reached the room, then his eyes widened. "What in the...?" There is was. Xiao Chun's handy work. "Retten" was the word that they read. German.

"...'Save her'?" Lily looked over at Vash. "B-Big brother, I'm scared..."

"...Pay no mind it it! It's just someone's trick." Vash ran out of the room, then back in with a damp cloth, wiping off the words that ran though his head. "Whatever you do, just don't think about it! Ever!"

Xiao Chun's job was finished. Vash would have to take action, knowing that the shadows knew where he and Lily lived. Unless he ran. But he wouldn't. His Lily had been threatened, and Vash certainly wouldn't tolerate it. Quickly, Xiao Chun vanished from the scene, leaving Lily to stare at her frantic big brother in terror.

* * *

><p>"I've created this for us all," Kiku said, leaning on his cane as he pulled out a small device. "We can just message one another about what has happened. It can go to all, or to just one person specifically, and it will stay a secret from the others."<p>

"Perfect, Kiku!" Alfred nodded, taking the device and giving it a go. "Wow, you've already got everyone in here?"

"Of course," Kiku replied with a smile. Matthew stood beside his brother, back from his stay with Francis. The two hadn't talked about what had happened that night, though. It was a topic the refused to touch. "I have everyone's personal device sent to them. I was seeing you today, so I decided just to give it to you personally. Everyone else has directions to follow. I have yours as well, Matthew."

"Thank you." Matthew took the device as Kiku handed it to him, browsing around himself. "Is there a name for it?"

"I just call it 'Gajetto", for gadget." Kiku shrugged. "It was simple enough at the time."

"Gajetto, huh?" Alfred pocketed the device with a nod. "That can be it's official name, then!"

Dian, who was also checking out his own "Gajetto", couldn't help but to smile a bit. The fact that he got one? He felt like a part of the countries. While he knew he wasn't a REAL nation, he was happy enough to at least think he was looked upon like on by the other countries. "So, Kiku," he began to say, looking over at him. "Do you think they all have it by now?"

"Yes, I believe so. And they are all activated, so you can call it anyway. If they don't answer, it's still in the box."

"Let's give it a go," Matthew said. "Who should we call?" As Alfred began to open his mouth to speak with a wide smirk, Matthew immediately added, "And NOT the Ghostbusters."

"Damn," Alfred chuckled. He'd loosened up a bit now. But Matthew knew him better. He made jokes when he felt awkward around someone. And he felt VERY awkward right now.

"How about Arthur?" Dian suggested. "Or maybe we should check on Ludwig and Gilbert?"

"Maybe Elizabeta is still with them," Kiku added. "And Feliciano-Kun."

"I think that's a good idea," Alfred announced. Though, he kinda wanted to call Arthur first to see if he was alright. The night Alfred had stomred out, Arthur had waited for him. And that morning, Alfred had woke up and he was just gone, but a blanket had covered him. Dian had said he left and said his farewell, and he didn't want to wake Alfred. They hadn't talked since, and Alfred was just a bit worried.

"I'll call," Matthew said, looking up Ludwig's name and pressing enter. The Gajetto looked just like a regular phone. It slid open for a quick keyboard, but when closed it was just a touch screen with a "End" and "Enter" button. Thre was no camera or anything, and when it rang, it was just like a regular ringtone, with no other options. Each alert to everyone was a beep, and if it was just for you, it was beep quickly, three times. With it ringing, Matthew needent put it on speaker. You could call several people at once. Alfred, Kiku, and Dian all had their Gajettos to their ear, listening in.

_"Hallo?"_

"Ah, it works!" Kiku smiled, glad his device was a success.

_"Ah, yes. Seems it does. Is that all?"_

"Actually," Dian said. "We were checking on you."

_"I wondered why four people were calling me at once. Is that what this thing can do?"_

"Yes," Kiku answered. "We could have called Gilbert, too, but we don't know who is all over there.

_"Gilbert is here. Elizabeta just left with Feliciano to get some shopping done."_

"Elizabeta's still there?" Alfred blinked. Then again, he wasn't surprised.

_"Yes, she's worried sick, still. Any news?"_

"Not yet," Dian said. "But I'll send out an alert later about the new shadows. Right after the call."

_"Alright, that is good. To everyone?"_

"Of course," Dian confirmed.

_"Then that is fine, I can wait until then."_

"Are you all alright?" Matthew spoke now.

_"Remotely. It's still weird to see myself when I look at Gilbert. I hope we can switch him back soon..."_

"I'm sure we will," Matthew said with a nod. "Anything else?"

_"That is all for now."_

"Alright. Please, take care." With that, Matthew clicked end, everyone else still on the phone.

_"You all as well."_

Ludwig hung up next, and one by one they all ended the call.

"They work real nice," Dian said, sending out his alert. Everyone knew there were three new shadows after a long time of calls. But now Dian knew the shadow's abilities. So, he typed up:

The three new shadows' abilities are known. Yong Su can create any object he wishes out of nothing. Mei can move objests with her mind. Xiao Chun is fast enough to the point that you wouldn't see him.

With that typed up and sent, he gave a nod. Everyone else's Gajetto beeped.

"Another success," Kiku beamed, looking at the message. "Thankfully, there is no word limit."

"Let's just hope someone doesn't get stupid with it," Alfred added in.

"Right." Matthew nodded. "It's strictly for this shadow buisness anyway."

Another beep came from the Gajettos. They immediately looked at Dian, who's own Gajetto beeped.

"It wasn't me." Dian looked at the Gajetto, then blinked. Everyone else stared at the message. It was Vash.

We've been invaded.

* * *

><p><em>"Are you and Lily okay?"<em>

"Yes, we're just... spooked." It was hard for Vash to admit such a thing. He spoke with Kiku as calmly as he could. With Lily cluthced to his side right now, it was hard to stay as strong as he was. "I can't leave her alone for a second... I won't."

_"I understand. If you have to be alone somewhere, I'll watch over her. I promise."_

"Thank you..." With that, he hung up and looked at Lily.

"A-Are we going to be alright...?"

"Of course, Lily." Vash knit his eyebrows, hugging her close. "Don't you doubt that."

Though, Vash was doubting that himself...


End file.
